Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 15:14 ): I rise today to speak about the River Murray Boating and Recreational Advisory Group, and I acknowledge the kind words today in question time from the Minister for Transport. This has been a long road for our group. We formed just over three years ago in response to a piece in The Advertiser on the front page about no-wash zones, and we knew we needed to act to protect everyone's rights in relation to the use of the river. So, that is why the River Murray Boating and Recreational Advisory Group was set up.

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 11 February 2016.)

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (15:58): I rise to support the Emergency Management (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2016. This bill was introduced into this place on 11 February by the Premier. Its focus is to provide the legislative framework for the management of emergencies here in South Australia. It seeks to ensure that our state has the capability to properly manage any state emergency by articulating the key elements of the state emergency management arrangements, including roles and responsibilities under those arrangements. What the bill seeks to do is:

Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick believes the Gender Identity & Equity Bill is taking Legislation to an extreme level and doesn’t agree with its entirety.

“The Bill is expected to delete the word “woman” when referring to pregnancy and replace it with “person” meaning the person will be pregnant not a woman,” said Mr Pederick.

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 19 November 2015.)

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 10:55 ): I rise today to speak on the Summary Offences (Drones) Amendment Bill. I note that we live in a very fast moving world, a world where technology overtakes most of us, especially those born before 1970. Technology is a fact of life and we need to embrace it, at least to a certain extent, or we will be left behind.

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 11 February 2016.)

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 12:32 ): I reiterate that I am not the lead speaker in regard to this bill but I rise to make a contribution to the Occupational Licensing National Law (South Australia) Repeal Bill 2016. I want to go over some history in regard to the Occupational Licensing National Law. It goes back to 2008 when the COAG agreed to develop a national trade licensing system for multiple occupational trades. Victoria was given the task of lead legislator and South Australia passed the appropriate legislation back in 2011. Our party supported that legislation.

 Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 10 February 2016.)

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 16:28 ): I rise to speak to the Statutes Amendment (Gender Identity and Equity) Bill 2016, which is a bill for an act to amend various acts to remove discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer South Australians. People may not be surprised that I will not be supporting this piece of legislation. I come from a Christian upbringing in a very conservative area in a conservative electorate, and even from hearing just the first couple of presentations today, I am wondering if this is just one step closer to legalising gay marriage by the back door.

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 11:16 ): I rise to support this motion in regard to Ngarkat National Park. The motion reads:

That this house requests His Excellency the Governor to make a proclamation under section 30(2) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 excluding allotments 104 and 105 in approved plan No. DP28853, Hundred of Fisk, lodged in the Lands Titles Registration Office at Adelaide, from the Ngarkat Conservation Park.

Liberal Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick today spoke to Parliament’s Natural Resources Committee (NRC) on behalf of many outraged residents in Hammond and greater South Australia.

“Regional South Australia is of great importance to the prosperity of the State. Those living in the regions need to be considered and preserved and this proposal doesn’t do either,” said Mr Pederick.

Second Reading

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 11:27 ): I rise to support the Evidence (Journalists) Amendment Bill that was introduced last year in the other place by the Hon. Andrew McLachlan. This bill certainly recognises the critically important role that the media and the profession of journalism plays in protecting the rights of the individual against capricious acts of the state.

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 12:31 ): Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I rise to support the motion of our leader:

That this house—

(a) notes that more than 119,000 people have signed petitions opposing the closure of the Repatriation General Hospital, more than 88,000 of which have been tabled in the house; and

(b) urges the government to heed the call of the petitioners and the veterans on the steps by reversing its decision to close the Repat.