Matt Williams (Hindmarsh, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As a member of parliament, local issues are continually brought to my attention—some large, some small and some are rather concerning. I have been approached by a number of residents from Netley in my electorate of Hindmarsh who are fed up with the state of a nearby sediment basin located in the Patawalonga catchment on Brown Hill Creek adjacent to Watson Avenue, Netley. The sediment basin is causing real headaches for those living close by. Following heavy rainfall, large volumes of urban stormwater is captured in the basin, along with rubbish, pollutants and vegetation. The major concern is that, if the basin is not treated properly, large volumes of stagnant stormwater remain in the basin, together with the pollutants, which become rotten, causing odour issues. This greatly impacts residents in nearby houses, especially in the evening when they are trying to sleep.

I recently visited the site with Bob Owen, President of the Netley Residents Association, who sought my assistance as he was having little luck with the local state environment body, SA Water, council or the state government, which is ultimately responsible for the management of the basin. Bob is a terrific local resident who dedicates a lot of his time to a number of local community organisations, such as the Glenelg Brass Band, the Netley Residents Association and the Glenelg North Community Centre, as well as Neighbourhood Watch in Netley. He is also a true champion of our community. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise his commitment to helping his local area in so many ways. During my visit, it became very clear that the basin was simply not working as it was designed to and more work needs to be done. I also spoke with Mr Robin Burgess, whose property is directly opposite the basin. He is extremely unhappy about the smell. In addition to this, residents are concerned that the stagnant water can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and, further, have concerns about their health as a result of the odour.

In a recent Messenger article, neighbour David Nussio raised concerns about his health. He said:

Just living here is unhealthy. There is an infestation of mosquitoes and the smell is that bad that you feel nauseous.

I understand Mr Nussio's concerns as the day I visited the strong odour definitely made you nauseous. Residents realise the benefits of the basin and its ability to capture pollutants. However, they are concerned that it is not being managed correctly and improvements need to be made. I believe strong action must be taken by the South Australian government and have written to the South Australian minister for the environment to make this issue one of his top priorities.

I would also like to quickly raise another issue I have been working on to achieve a better outcome for the people in Netley. Vegetation and grasses at the Watson Avenue and Beare Avenue Reserve have become overgrown, becoming attractive habitation for snakes and other pests. There is a playground nearby, which makes it very dangerous for young children and their families. Mr Peter Kinnane, a local resident in the area, contacted me to see if the reserve could be attended to and, following consultation and communications with SA Water, Adelaide Airport and the City of West Torrens, new fencing and ongoing management has been agreed. So I thank Peter and all the other stakeholders on this positive outcome.