Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-18 Daily Xml

Contents

Resolutions

SURF LIFE SAVING SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Adjourned debate on motion of the Minister for Mineral Resources Development:

That, for the purposes of section 13(7) of the West Beach Recreation Reserve Act 1987, this council approves the grant by the West Beach Trust of a lease to Surf Life Saving South Australia Incorporated for a period of 50 years of portion of the West Beach Recreation Reserve, being such portion of the land contained in Certificate of Title Register Book Volume 5867 Folio 283 as is determined by the Minister for Urban Development and Planning, for use for the operation of surf life saving emergency services (including administration, storage of operation craft, life saving academy, communications centre, training rooms, sporting gear and equipment storage) and for the construction of such buildings and other works for that purpose as are specified or authorised in the lease.

(Continued from 17 November 2009. Page 3878.)

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (11:05): I was briefed on this matter last week by Bernie Lange, Chair of the West Beach Trust, and an officer from the minister's office. This lease certainly makes a lot of sense and brings together a number of functions of Surf Life Saving spread all over the state and currently operating its communications functions from Lonsdale, its administration from Torrensville, with its vessels stored at various locations, including at staff and club members' homes, which is really not an appropriate way to have a modern surf rescue or life saving association operate.

Knowing Mr Lange for a number of years and having met with the West Beach Trust on other occasions when we made certain legislative amendments a couple of years ago, I am aware that they had talked about leasing and developing this area to allow Surf Life Saving to develop there. They also have a long-term vision to have the police rescue boat down there and coordinate more of the rescue functions from that area. It certainly makes sense in the first instance to allow Surf Life Saving to come together right on the coast where it can have modern facilities. Clearly, it is not satisfactory to have equipment stored at members' homes and it needs to be in a central facility. We have had the extra presence lately of sharks and evidence of global warming. In recent weeks we have experienced very high temperatures, which will continue over the next couple of days, and the beach is being used by increasing numbers of people. It makes absolute sense to have this development down there on the West Beach Trust land, and the opposition is happy to support the motion.

Motion carried.