Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to highlight the fantastic work being done by Surf Life Saving clubs in my electorate of Hindmarsh, and the importance of the new surf central project to Surf Life Saving clubs right around South Australia. Hindmarsh is home to six different surf life saving clubs, which work all year round to provide beach patrols, rescue, first aid, fitness and fun to a wide section of the community and beach goers. Many of the clubs in my electorate participate in the On the Same Wave program, a fantastic joint initiative of Surf Life Saving Australia and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. The program encourages children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as from Indigenous backgrounds to get involved with surf life saving. Semaphore Surf Life Saving Club at the northern end of my electorate recently held a day-long program as part of On the Same Wave, which gave kids who might not otherwise have been confident enough to have a go at surf life saving the chance to do so in a supportive environment. At Grange Surf Life Saving Club they are currently in the third year of running a disability program, working with Interchange, an organisation that provides community based recreational respite care for kids with disabilities. It is great to hear that two of the kids who participated under the Interchange program have now joined the club and have made the transition to becoming nippers.

An incident at Henley Beach at the end of last year catapulted four nippers from Henley Beach Surf Life Saving Club into the limelight. The boys, who were all aged about nine or 10 at the time, helped rescue a woman they saw drowning off Henley Beach. Even though they had not yet officially started learning surf life saving skills, the boys thought quickly and three of them managed to keep the woman afloat while the other boy went to shore for help. The woman was saved and the story was featured everywhere from ABC Television to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Adelaide Advertiser and the local Messenger newspaper. It is exactly this type of story that reinforces the importance of surf life savers and the importance of providing support for the organisations that dedicate themselves to it.

West Beach Surf Life Saving Club has been working with the Service to Youth Council to train at-risk youths for their Bronze Medallion. Last week the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club hosted all the surf life saving senior state championship events, including sprints, flags and relays, at Glenelg Beach on a Friday night. I am delighted to hear that it was deemed so successful it will be done again in 2011. Finally, at the southern end of my electorate, Somerton Surf Life Saving Club hosted the junior state championships, which had more than 950 competitors and thousands of spectators over the two days of competition.

The contribution of surf life savers is enormous. That is why I have recently been working with Surf Life Saving South Australia to secure funding for their Surf Central project, which will provide much-needed administrative training and infrastructure support to surf life saving clubs all around South Australia. I have recently written to the Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, regarding the importance of the project, and I look forward to hearing back from her soon regarding funding opportunities for Surf Life Saving South Australia so that they are able to continue their literally life saving work. I also hope that all Australians will continue to support surf life saving activities, as the clubs truly are the lifeblood of our coastal communities. Congratulations to all the surf life saving clubs in Hindmarsh. I wish them all a successful winter season in the lead-up to next summer.