I recently spoke in Parliament on our local community groups, including our basketball and soccer clubs along with my recent visit to Darlington Primary School. You can read the speech here. 

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:51): It is an exciting time for basketball fans. In the US, the NBA playoffs are currently underway and attracting global attention. I am pleased to say that our own local basketball scene in this state is thriving and attracting a lot of local attention.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:26): I rise to speak about our annual winter warmer, another local event in my local community. For some years, the member for Black and I have hosted an annual winter warmer and fundraiser to bring people together while supporting a local organisation or charity.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:50): I rise to speak about a local family that epitomises service to our community, commitment to great causes and positive engagement with the people around them. The name Gladys Mathwin has a special place in my community, the electorate of Gibson, and rightfully so. Gladys was a woman of such great stature that, even more than 50 years after her death, she continues to have a strong, unmistakable presence in our local community. The legacy she has left is one of great community spirit.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (11:51): I rise to support the motion as well and note that my wife, too, is a nurse. We celebrated the International Day of the Midwife on 5 May and today we are celebrating International Nurses Day. Among many others here, I value the opportunity to say thank you to our capable and hardworking nursing staff. Furthermore, I want to recognise the immense contribution of our nurses and midwives to our community. They work day and night, they tend to the sick, they advocate for better health and wellbeing, they administer medication and treatment and they take on the special responsibility of helping to deliver new life into this world. If I have time, I will come back to that in a personal reflection on my granddaughter being born at my house.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:48): I am pleased to report that in April I officially opened the Brighton Oval sporting complex along with the federal member for Boothby, Nicolle Flint, and the Mayor of the City of Holdfast Bay, Amanda Wilson.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (11:55): I rise to speak in favour of this motion moved by the member for Hammond and cannot stress enough its importance. Many of the privileges we enjoy today have only been made possible because of our veterans who have fought, and in many cases lost their lives while serving our country, during times of conflict. While it is impossible to repay the debt, it is incumbent upon us to continue to support and respect those who sacrificed so much.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: It was with great sadness that we learned that talented South
Australian sportsman Eric Freeman recently passed away on Monday 14 December after a heart
attack. Eric will forever be remembered as one of the greatest athletes South Australia has ever
produced.

Affectionately known as Fritzy, Eric Freeman was born in Semaphore, Adelaide, and
excelled at both cricket and football. As a cricketer, Freeman was presented with baggy green cap
No. 244 when he toured with Australian teams to New Zealand in 1966-67, England in 1968 and
India and South Africa in 1969-70.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:21): I rise to speak on the official opening of the redeveloped Brighton Oval in Hove. On Tuesday 15 September, I stood with a crowd of people in one of Brighton's new clubrooms, enthralled by what we had just seen on a tour and excited for the future of this big community space.

As the Mayor of Holdfast Bay Amanda Wilson, the local federal member Nicolle Flint, my colleague the member for Black (Minister for Environment) and I unveiled a plaque together to commemorate the official opening, it was clear that this was a special moment. It was a special moment for the hundreds of players, volunteers, life members and local residents who love using these grounds.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:27): It is with great pleasure that I rise today to speak about a silent success my team and I have been able to achieve in our local community. On both sides of the chamber I believe we work very hard in our local communities and a lot of the work we do goes unnoticed. They are probably things that only a fellow local member would appreciate. But every now and then we do have some great successes that I think have a positive impact on our community.

One such example was the work we did to help out a young man in our community, Declan Lorenzin. Declan suffers from vision impairment, he uses a cane and he is a very active member of our community. I want to paint this picture for you, Mr Speaker. Imagine catching public transport without the use of your eyes. Catching a train in total darkness, you do not know where the door is going to stop on the platform, where the doors are going to open. It is quite a daunting thing to consider. But Declan is a remarkable young man who lives in Warradale and, despite his vision impairment, he lives a very independent life and catches public transport on the Seaford line to his parents' house.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:15): It is with great pleasure I rise today to speak about some recent activities in my electorate. June has been a wonderful month. It has been great to be back out again as some of the restrictions have eased. That is very much to the credit of the people of South Australia, who have done an outstanding job. Of course, the officials from SA Health and the police commissioner have done a wonderful job in giving the directions as they have. I think the Premier and all the team have done an outstanding job to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep South Australians as safe as possible.