Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

2018 has already been a busy year in my electorate of Boothby, with many significant anniversaries. I have been privileged to attend events in my community to mark these important occasions, and I'm proud to inform the House of some of them today. On Saturday, 24 February, I was delighted to join 275 players, volunteers, supporters and club legends to fondly celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Brighton Cricket Club. I'm grateful to club president Scott Phillips and his wife, Ann, for hosting me for the evening and for their incredible efforts along with those of the organising committee and club members that went into this wonderfully successful event. The Brighton Cricket Club exemplifies exactly what local sport is all about. The club has brought together players and their families from across our community for generations. The Brighton Cricket Club's inaugural match was played on Saturday, 18 October 1867 in a contest between married cricketers and single cricketers. An extract from The Express and Telegraph newspaper reported a 'splendid day favoured the players' and a win for the married team. To commemorate this anniversary, the club recreated that splendid day with a married-versus-singles match at the start of the season, which this time ended in a tie.

Club records held following World War II show that Brighton has won 52 premierships, including nine in the A grade. Currently, the club is represented by over 225 players, including 141 juniors, who make up the five senior teams and 13 junior teams. There is also an over-50s team.

The 150th anniversary dinner saw the club launch the inaugural Brighton Cricket Club Hall of Fame. Eleven players were named from throughout the history of the club. These past players, the first of whom was born in the 1800s, all contributed to the club as outstanding cricketers in batting and bowling—and often both—and, importantly, were representatives on the board in senior leadership roles and as volunteers. I would therefore like to congratulate and recognise the following Brighton Cricket Club Hall of Fame inductees: Norman Pontifex, Ernest Anthoney, Edgar Gregory, Brian Neill, Sydney Shepherdson, John Ward, Mostyn Matters, Paul Dale, Charles Moyle, Ian Barnes and Mark Wilson. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the leadership group of the Brighton Cricket Club for their contribution to our community. I'm delighted that, to coincide with this significant anniversary, the City of Holdfast Bay has announced a $6 million upgrade to the site supported by a further $2 million contribution by local members of parliament Corey Wingard MP and David Speirs MP and the South Australian Liberal Party. This funding will upgrade the entire site, which is also home to Brighton lacrosse, Brighton football and Brighton rugby clubs.

The 16th of February is a significant date in our Defence Force history for very tragic reasons. It was on this date, 76 years ago, that 21 Australian nurses were massacred on Radji Beach, Bangka Island. I recently attended the 76th Bangka Day memorial service at the Women's Memorial Playing Fields in St Marys to lay a wreath on behalf of the Prime Minister to pay tribute to these women and other people who lost their lives following the sinking of the SS Vyner Brooke. This tragic story began on 12 February 1942, when 65 Australian nurses began their evacuation from Singapore as it fell. They boarded the small ship, the SS Vyner Brooke, along with many civilians and children. The ship was loaded far beyond its capacity and was a target for the Japanese, despite the best efforts of the ship's captain to hug the coastline of Indonesia as they fled. The Vyner Brooke was attacked by nine Japanese aircraft, who bombed it no fewer than 30 times in five minutes, before damaging it so badly that it began to sink. Many were killed during the attack. Fifty-three nurses somehow made it to Bangka Island, Indonesia, but 12 did not and were lost at sea. Twenty-one nurses who did make it to shore were massacred by Japanese troops on Radji Beach. South Australian sister Vivian Bullwinkel survived and later gave evidence about the atrocities. A further eight nurses who made it to a village and surrendered died as prisoners of war just before the war ended. The annual Bangka Day memorial service commemorates the courage and service of these wonderful women as well as all current and former servicewomen. This year, we were fortunate to hear from the guest speaker, the Commander Joint Health and Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force, Air Vice Marshal Tracy Smart AM. Thank you to the Women's Memorial Playing Fields Trust president, Bruce Parker, the members of the trust board and members of our local community who attended and commemorated this very important remembrance service.

The 16th of February also marks another tragic military anniversary. On this date in 2002, SAS soldier Sergeant Andrew Russell was killed in service in Afghanistan. Sergeant Russell was the first Australian serviceman to be killed in action since Vietnam. He left behind his parents, his wife, Kylie, and his baby daughter, Leisa, whom he never met as she was born after his deployment to Afghanistan. I was honoured to attend a significant local event in my electorate in memory of Sergeant Russell on 16 February at the Marion RSL. It was on this date that RSL Care SA officially opened the Andrew Russell Veteran Living homeless veteran accommodation. This RSL Care SA initiative ensures that veterans who finds themselves homeless or at risk of homelessness have the opportunity to access appropriate and affordable housing solutions and are provided with practical support to enable them to get back on their feet. ARVL partners with a range of providers to expand services and support to encourage residents to get the help and the support that they need. Groups like RSL Care SA and initiatives like Andrew Russell Veteran Living are vital to support the health and wellbeing of our returned Defence Force men and women and recognise the sacrifice and service they give to our nation. It was a true honour to have Sergeant Russell's parents at the opening of the accommodation. I'm grateful to RSL Care SA CEO Nathan Klinge, Chairman Loretta Byers and the board for inviting me to this significant event and for the work they're doing to support our at-risk veterans in memory of Sergeant Russell, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

On Sunday, I attended yet another significant anniversary in my electorate with my state colleague Sam Duluk MP. The Hills Christian Family Centre celebrated their 20th anniversary of fellowship in Blackwood. I was delighted to attend their celebratory service at the Blackwood High School arts centre in Eden Hills, led by founding Pastor David Smythe and with words from Pastor Bill Vasilakis, the national chairman of CRC Churches International. Since 1998, the centre has become an important foundation for our community, offering guidance and support to those in need and providing a weekly service to spread the word of God. A barbecue picnic—complete with ice cream and games for the children in attendance—for friends of the church to celebrate the occasion followed the anniversary service. Thank you to Pastor David and Nerina Smythe for their hospitality and continuing role in the community. Thank you also to Pastor David Bland for making Sam Duluk and me so welcome and for all of the wonderful work they do for everyone in the Blackwood area. Congratulations to all members of the congregation.

Finally, I was honoured to attend the Southern Country Music Club's 30th anniversary celebration at the Clovelly Park Memorial Hall recently. Not only did I get to attend their birthday I got to cut the very impressive birthday cake as well. The club is home to some very talented musicians, who treated us to some notable country music classics on the day. I also got to see the new air conditioner that the federal coalition helped the country music club and the Clovelly Park memorial hall to purchase through a stronger communities grant to help them cool the kitchen. This has been a wonderful help to the volunteers—especially as we've been going through another heatwave in Adelaide, as we do every summer—who provide afternoon tea for club members and also get to share their love of country music. With over 200 people in attendance there were a lot of people to feed and provide with cups of tea and coffee to celebrate their 30th birthday, and apparently this was a small crowd. I'm very pleased that in a very small way I was able to help these wonderful volunteers to support this great community group. A very big thank you to club president Mr Graeme Smallacombe for inviting me to this momentous occasion and to all of the attendees for sharing their passion for country music with our community. Happy birthday to the Southern Country Music Club!

Mr Deputy Speaker Goodenough, as you can see, my electorate of Boothby is full of wonderful clubs, local groups and people working as volunteers to support very worth causes and commemorate significant defence anniversaries. They truly are the heart of our community, and I'm delighted to see so many significant milestones this year. One of the great privileges of being a member of parliament is to join my residents in my electorate to celebrate significant milestones and honour those who contribute so much to our community.

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