Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Hallett Cove is one of the beautiful suburbs in my electorate, in Kingston, and indeed the Hallett Cove foreshore is a special community resource that allows families to gather along the Hallett Cove Beach. I have been working with the local community to look at what more we can do to make the Hallett Cove foreshore an even more attractive place for local residents. In 2015, I worked with the Lions Club of Hallett Cove, and that led to the construction of an Anzac memorial on that foreshore. There are some wonderful, moving Anzac Day commemorations that occur at that centre.

In addition, I've been working also now with Randall Wilson, the Labor candidate in the state election, to see what extra facilities and extra amenities we can secure. I'm really, really pleased that, in working with Randall, together we've been able to secure $620,000 from the state government to fast-track the council development in this area. This is a partnership with the City of Marion, and I'd like to thank them for their investment and their vision for the area. These funds will help fast-track a nature playground, a plaza area, paths, revegetation and extra shelter. This will be an important improvement to the area that many, many families enjoy.

I'd like to really recognise the work that the community has put in to have a vision for this space. We have many parks and reserves in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, but we need to make sure that they are working for local residents. I have noted in the past my concern around the City of Onkaparinga's plan to have reserves that they will potentially downgrade. In their plans, they say that they won't be doing upkeep and watering them.

I think open space is critically important. It allows families to gather. It allows exercise and recreation and really makes suburbs more than just a whole lot of houses. It makes suburbs a community. So it is critically important that we invest in our reserves, in our play areas, in our open spaces, and this is exactly what the City of Marion is doing. With the help and the advocacy of the state Labor candidate Randall Wilson and me, we will see this foreshore come to life and be even better for local residents.