David Fawcett (Wakefield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In this House there are numerous debates and discussions on issues of national importance, many of which seek to underpin the ability of our communities to give their children a future and to have a community that is strong and thriving. I wish tonight to draw the attention of the House to a community in the electorate of Wakefield that is doing exactly that.

On Sunday I had the pleasure of attending the 11th Balaklava Eisteddfod Finale Concert, which draws young people from across South Australia, particularly from the Wakefield area, to come for a whole weekend of musical events across a whole range of genres and brings together the Combined Mid North Primary Schools Festival of Music Choirs. It involves young people who have come from the primary schools of Balaklava, Clare, Kapunda, Mallala, Owen and Hamley Bridge. This is a significant time because not only is a huge amount of talent on show during this weekend but also this event highlights the incredible value of volunteers in our community.

More than 150 volunteers took part to make this event happen, right from the patrons of the event, Mayor James Maitland and his wife, Prue, through to the Balaklava Eisteddfod Society Executive—Bronwyn Cottle, Margaret Baker, Sally Cowan, Lenice Cox, Trish Goodgame, Kathryn Mahony, Jo May and Di Spence—who worked tirelessly to bring this event together. A whole raft of people were involved in everything from stage management, lighting, sound et cetera through to the parents who took their children along each week to practices for their own individual instruments or activities and then brought them to the eisteddfod. Also necessary were the schoolteachers who coordinated the choirs and trained the children. Again, there was Bronwyn Cottle, who was also the choir coordinator and took a large role in convening the whole eisteddfod, along with Jan Borlace from Clare, Elizabeth Fahlbusch from Kapunda, Carol Lee and Stephanie Radowicz from Mallala and Sandy Wandel from Owen and Hamley Bridge. Not only were the people from the eisteddfod committee and their volunteers involved; the whole town turned out to provide venues and support. Nearly all of the suitable venues—whether they were community, church or other venues—throughout the town made available their equipment, their people and their time so that all of the heats could culminate in the finale concert, which was held in the town hall on the Sunday afternoon.

There were also a number of sponsors from the area; they really put lie to the idea that many regional towns are fast disappearing. Balaklava and the Mid North are an area of the Adelaide Plains that is really growing. We have seen just recently approval for things like the Wakefield Waters development to go ahead at Port Wakefield. Providing much employment for the people in the area, we have seen a decision by Primo to reinvest some $28 million in the abattoir that was burnt down. In addition, we have seen sponsorship of things like the strong community programs by groups like Balco. I certainly thank Malcolm and Jo May for their strong community leadership in Balaklava and the region, through Balco and the employment they provide, but also for their sponsorship of things like the eisteddfod. My thanks go also to Balaklava Engineering, individual families such as the Manuel family, Geoff and Di Spence, Ms Terri Hughes and the Fyfe family of Yelmah Holdings, who are regional suppliers of pigs and pork into that industry. In addition, my thanks go to groups such as the Adelaide Plains Male Voice Choir, represented on the day by Noel Richardson, which sponsor and provide scholarships to young people to encourage them in their musical ability.

I draw the attention of the House to this event because, to my mind, it demonstrates the strong underpinnings of community in Australia. In addition, it demonstrates that our young people have a future because parents and community are prepared to invest their time and effort into positive and constructive activities, like music, and to the celebration of it in things like the Balaklava Eisteddfod.

Question agreed to.