Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. R.B. Martin:

That this council—

1. Acknowledges that this year marks the 50th running of the City to Bay race;
2. Commends the City to Bay for promoting good health and the enjoyment of fitness, supporting athletics communities in South Australia and for providing a platform for fundraising activities by race participants; and
3. Recognises the dedicated efforts of City to Bay staff and volunteers in ensuring that the event is successful each year.

(Continued from 11 September 2024.)

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (17:23): I move:

 That this Council–

1. Acknowledges that Australia is a proud multicultural country and our people are from different backgrounds, cultures, languages, faiths and each individual is worthy of dignity and respect, and has a desire to lead meaningful and productive lives;
2. Recognises that the Census helps us understand who we are as a nation and therefore the Australian Census must accurately and comprehensively collect data that represents the pulse of the nation;
3. Recognises that the religious and spiritual profile of Australians remains an important measure for many religious and multicultural communities;
4. Notes that the Australian Bureau of Statistics proposal to make changes for the 2026 Census will weaken the accuracy of one of their measures by changing the Census question about religion;
5. Recognises that accurate, consistent measure and comparable data is vital as churches, temples, mosques and religious groups rely heavily on the data to assist parishes, places of worship, schools, health services, welfare, aged-care facilities and other organisations to understand the religious demographic of the communities they serve;
6. Notes that the proposed new Census question disengages religion from culture and identity and calls on the Australian Bureau of Statistics to keep the existing question, 'What is your religion?', which assesses religious identification as part of a person's culture and heritage, serving as an essential marker of other attributes and beliefs;
7. Recognises that Census data from the question 'What is your religion?' has helped demonstrate and monitor changes in Australia's multicultural character and it must continue to be a comprehensive and accurate tool for supporting services and activities provided by religious groups and government to meet Australians' needs; and
8. Calls on the Federal Australian Government to reject changes to the proposed 'reformulation' about religion in the upcoming 2026 Census.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:12): I move:

That this Council—

1. Congratulates the French-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FACCI) which was founded in 1899 for celebrating the momentous occasion of its 125th anniversary in 2024;
2. Reflects on the 125 years of achievements by FACCI and on its remarkable milestone and acknowledges that Australia's relationship with France is underpinned by enduring historical links, with consular and diplomatic engagement dating back to 1842;
3. Acknowledges FACCI's key mission is to promote business opportunities between French and Australian companies by sharing valuable information, providing networking platforms and business support services;
4. Recognises Australia and France share a commitment to a dynamic bilateral relationship and FACCI plays a significant role to foster successful outcomes for French and Australian companies; and
5. Highlights the contributions by board members and partners of FACCI in strengthening the 'French connections' and creating business opportunities for South Australia across many industry sectors.

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. T.A. Franks:

1. That a select committee of the Legislative Council be established to inquire into and report on local and live creative venues, with particular reference to:

(a) the impacts of, and reasons for, recent loss of live music and local creative venues in South Australia;

(b) understanding the cultural, social, economic and other contributions made by local and live creative venues;

(c) supporting South Australian artists and creatives with venues and spaces where they can develop their craft, audiences and communities;

(d) understanding the types of cultural infrastructure needed for a healthy art, culture and creative sector in South Australia;

(e) protecting local and live creative venues and performance spaces; and

(f) any other related matters.

2. That this council permits the select committee to authorise the disclosure or publication, as it sees fit, of any evidence or documents presented to the committee prior to such evidence being presented to the council.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (00:47): I move:

That this Council—

1. Congratulates Nonna's Cucina for reaching a special milestone of their 25^th anniversary in 2024;

2. Recognises that Nonna's Cucina is a unique community-based meal service provider where all meals are prepared fresh daily by qualified chefs and a trained team, and these nutritional meals are delivered safely by culturally and linguistically friendly staff and volunteers to the doors and homes of the aged, people with disabilities and people who may have special needs, predominantly within the Italian community of South Australia;

3. Acknowledges the important work of founding members, current and past presidents, board members and volunteers of Nonna's Cucina for their hard work, dedication and contributions in delivering 25 years of outstanding community service in South Australia;

4. Commends Nonna's Cucina for working collaboratively with government agencies, corporate organisations and other multicultural community organisations to deliver meal services and support those in need to remain living in their own homes; and

5. Reflects on the many achievements of Nonna's Cucina over the past 25 years and recognises the impact of Nonna's Cucina and its contributions to enrich multicultural South Australia.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (00:36): I move:

That this Council—

1. Congratulates Chinatown Adelaide South Australia (CASA) Inc. for achieving a special milestone of 20th anniversary;

2. Recognises that CASA’s annual Lunar New Year Street Party has become a flagship event that promotes Adelaide as an inclusive multicultural city that embraces cultural diversity and celebrations valued by Chinese, Asian and all communities in South Australia;

3. Commends the longstanding contributions made by founding members, current and past presidents, committee members and volunteers of CASA and thanks them for their dedication and hard work over the past 20 years; and

4. Recognises the strong collaboration of CASA with local Chinatown traders, business community, business precincts partners (including Central Market, Grote Street and Gouger Street precincts), community groups and other stakeholders to support initiatives and activities that promote Chinatown as a multicultural melting pot and popular destination for tourists, international students, migrants and our South Australian community.

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. C. Bonaros:

That this Council—

1. Expresses its concern and dissatisfaction regarding the recent visit to Australia by Ersin Tatar, the leader of the self-proclaimed ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (‘TRNC’), which constitutes the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus;

2. Notes South Australia does not recognise the legitimacy of the TRNC;

3. Notes United Nations Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550 which call upon all states not to recognise the purported state of TRNC;

4. Recognises that as the first leader of this entity to visit Australia, the visit was not cause for celebration;

5. Recognises the distress felt by Australians of Cypriot and Greek heritage due to Ersin Tatar’s visit;

6. Acknowledges the historical suffering of many refugees who lost their homes, land, and possessions following the invasion of Northern Cyprus by Turkish forces in 1974;

7. Acknowledges the ongoing pain of those whose loved ones have been missing since the invasion;

8. Supports the communities affected by the historical events in Cyprus;

9. Notes the advice of the Federal Government to all Members of Parliament and State Governments to refrain from engaging or meeting with Ersin Tatar during his visit to Australia or otherwise; and

10. Calls on the State Government to clearly articulate its support for the Federal Government’s position of non-recognition of the TRNC.

(Continued from 19 June 2024.)

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. T.A. Franks:

That this Council notes that South Australian band Electric Fields are the first duo to represent Australia at the Eurovision song contest and wishes them every success.

(Continued from 15 May 2024.)

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (17:51): I rise today on behalf of the Liberal Party to support the Hon. Tammy Franks' motion. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to acknowledge South Australian band Electric Fields and congratulate the fabulous duo, Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, for representing Australia at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.

Growing up in the neighbourhood of Payneham as a teenager, our family home was surrounded by European migrants, and they passionately introduced the colourful Eurovision program to our family in the 1970s.

The convergence of multilingual, multicultural and multitalented artists in spectacular, outlandish costumes, a fusion of traditional soulful ballads to modern electrical sounds on the magnificent special effects stage, are some of the hallmarks that make Eurovision perhaps the most eccentric song competition ever to continue to grace our screens.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:01): I rise today with great sadness to join other Honourable Members to speak on a condolence motion for the Hon. Jennifer Cashmore AM.

I wish to convey my deepest condolences to Her Excellency the Governor of South Australia, family members, friends and all those who knew and loved Jennifer. I would like to take this opportunity today to pay tribute to the Hon. Jennifer Cashmore, who was a trailblazer of our state and our country.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:43): I rise today with great sadness to support this condolence motion.

I would like to firstly convey my deepest condolences to Steele's loving wife, Joan, his six children, six grandchildren, other family Members and friends on the sad occasion of the passing of Mr Raymond Steele Hall at the age of 95. Known affectionately by his middle name, Steele Hall was a giant of South Australian politics and public life.