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

This year my home state of South Australia celebrates its 180th birthday. I hope that my fellow South Australians will join me in marking this occasion on 28 December, which is our Proclamation Day. Proclamation Day commemorates the day Governor John Hindmarsh disembarked from the HMS Buffalo at Holdfast Bay, in what is now Glenelg, on 28 December 1836 and, in doing so, established South Australia's first government. The founding ceremony saw the largest European gathering thus far in South Australia at the distinctive Old Gum Tree, which is still there today. At the ceremony, the Governor's secretary, George Stevenson, read aloud the proclamation, which was a particularly rare one in British colonial history as it included the first recognition of rights for Aboriginal Australians, who, it was said, were to be afforded the same rights as other citizens.

As a free settled state, and the only one in the nation, South Australia was a place that was to be the embodiment of the best qualities British society had to offer: economic freedom and prosperity, freedom of association and the right to be free from religious persecution. This is important, because freedom, I believe, is the most thorough and capable instrument that we can use to achieve equality. South Australia was founded as somewhat of a utopia for free settlers and became home to many people fleeing religious persecution, such as those of Lutheran faith, who settled in and around the Adelaide Hills and have made a wonderful contribution to our society.

It must also be highlighted, as I mentioned, that South Australia became one of the only colonies in the nation to include safeguards for Aboriginal Australians. Later on we were also the first jurisdiction to afford women suffrage and the only state to grant women, at the same time, the right to vote and the right to stand for parliament. Economic freedom was also an important part of our history.

I attended Proclamation Day last year on 28 December, along with our Governor, Hieu Van Le. It is a wonderful occasion. I encourage all of my fellow South Australians to attend this year and to celebrate what is a very significant date, our 180th birthday. The ceremony, I believe, starts at 9.15 at the Old Gum Tree in Glenelg. I sincerely hope that with so much to be proud of in our state's history my fellow citizens—and everyone visiting for the Christmas period—will join us in marking what is a significant day and a significant year: our 180th birthday.