Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The National Climate Centre has stated that the drought in Australia is intensifying, and most capital cities have water restrictions. This really does highlight how important it is to take practical measures to conserve water. I am particularly pleased that the electorate of Boothby has received nearly $720,000 from the Howard government’s Community Water Grants program. That money will save more than 61 million litres of water a year.

They are small projects focusing on primary schools and sporting clubs. Some of the larger projects in my electorate include the Flagstaff Hill Golf and Country Club. They have received $40,000 to recycle stormwater by creating a retention basin. This will save 26 million litres of water a year. And Unley High School has received $49,922 to install constant flow control valves and dual flush toilets. This will save over 18 million litres of water a year. These are very good examples of the practical measures that a federal government can take to see that we have much better water use. It is absolutely critical with the drought intensifying and water restrictions already on families.

As we approach summer, there is increasing concern in my electorate about antisocial behaviour, hoon driving and so on. I was particularly pleased to have a visit from the Minister for Justice and Customs, Chris Ellison. I took him down to Moseley Square in Glenelg. It is not in my electorate; it is actually in the electorate of Hindmarsh, but it is covered by the city of Holdfast Bay, which is based in my electorate. This is a very popular place for people to go in summer, but it is also sometimes the scene of antisocial behaviour.

My colleague the member for Kingston, in his former career as a distinguished police officer and community police officer, knows full well the problems that we see in the community. I am particularly pleased that the city of Holdfast Bay, which is based in my electorate, has received $90,000 to install closed-circuit television cameras at Moseley Square. This will be a very important infrastructure project which will allow the police to monitor any antisocial behaviour and make sure that families are able to enjoy going down to Glenelg in summer.

Lastly, my electorate does include a lot of the Adelaide foothills. There is lots of grassy woodland there and there is always the risk of bushfire. With the drought and the expectations of a hot summer, this means, firstly, that residents need to do everything they can to reduce the fuel load on their properties. It also means that we need to be alert to the risks of arson. The CFS needs all the resources possible to combat the fire. We saw, two summers ago, a devastating fire on the Eyre Peninsula at the same time as there was a fire in Adelaide.

As to existing facilities in South Australia, they have a fixed-wing capacity, but they do not have the access to the Erickson sky cranes. The South Australian state government should look to getting an Erickson sky crane. We do have the possibility of using the one that is going to be based in Canberra, depending on need. And, of course, that is only a two-hour flight away from Adelaide. These are the issues that my constituents are considering as we approach Christmas: the issues of water, antisocial behaviour and making sure that their properties and homes are protected from bushfire.