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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-06-30 Daily Xml
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KEEPING THEM SAFE ON THE ADELAIDE PLAINS WORKSHOP

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:30): I was pleased to attend the recent Keeping Them Safe on the Adelaide Plains workshop which was sponsored by DrinkWise Australia. This road safety event took place in Two Wells on 8 June at the local community centre. Wakefield Regional Council and the District Council of Mallala joined forces to present the seminar, having invited local sporting clubs to attend. About 55 young players and officials from the majority of clubs in the Adelaide Plains Football League and the Adelaide Plains Netball Association participated.

Leading the forum were key members of the community, including the District Council of Mallala community development officer, Lynette Seccafien, who initiated the event with assistance from the Wakefield Regional Council community development officer, David Woodroofe. As well as being the MC on the night, David made a presentation about his experience as a volunteer ambulance officer based at Balaklava.

Sergeant John Illingworth, Traffic Training Officer of SAPOL, gave a speech about the consequences that taking risks, peer pressure and showing off can have on those around us. Mark Forgie from Taylor and Forgie Funeral Directors in Gawler also made a presentation. Those in attendance included Brad Busch, the APFL President, and Josie McArdle, President of the APNA, Mr Robin 'Nobby' Symes, President of the Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association, as well as the member for Goyder in another place and the respective deputy mayors, Yvonne Howard of Mallala and Barry Nottle of Wakefield.

Keeping Them Safe on the Adelaide Plains, whilst being a workshop regarding drinking within sporting clubs, did not discourage drinking completely. It focused on being aware of the decisions made whilst under the influence and the impact that a wrong decision such as getting behind the wheel of a vehicle can make in the long term.

Jason Austin, a 30 year old father of two and a former amateur league football premiership captain, had the attendees riveted to their seats with the story of his harrowing experience of his own road accident and his recovery and the aspects of his life that have now changed permanently as a result. For example, as a partial paraplegic, he is now unable to kick a football with his own young son. After spending a year recovering in various hospitals, Jason felt the need to share his experience with other young members of the community and has since begun working closely with the Metropolitan Fire Service on their Road Accident Awareness Prevention Program which entails him accompanying them to local high schools to share his story.

His personal experience is a valuable resource when educating young people who think such a thing could never happen to them, which in Jason's case proved the exact opposite. Certainly, his story resonated with those young people from football and netball clubs. Jason reiterated the fact that a bad decision can change one's life in a split second, using his own story as concrete proof of such a matter. Visual aids were also used to get the message across to those in attendance. A short film detailing the trauma that affects families upon losing family members in such devastating circumstances was shown at the conclusion of the night. The function was also supported by the Good Sports program which aims to encourage safe, healthy and family-friendly sporting clubs.

I am most pleased that the seminar went ahead as it did, as I believe it is highly important to have our young people well informed of the risks they face when getting behind the wheel, whether fatigued, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or just being an inexperienced driver. It follows the previous road safety forums that I have attended which were organised by the Barossa, Light and Gawler football and netball associations, which also took the initiative to arrange such forums to make their local community aware of the impacts that motor vehicles can have on us as a population. I reiterate my congratulations to all involved in putting on this event.

While I have a short time left, I should also mention the 75th anniversary of the District Council of Mallala which was celebrated with a dinner held at Mallala on 28 May. That night was very well organised by the mayor, Marcus Strudwick, and the CEO, Charles Mansueto. It celebrated 75 years since the Port Gawler, Grace and Dublin councils were amalgamated.

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