Facebook icon Twitter icon Forward icon

Welcome to the first edition of my newsletter as your local Member of Parliament. It’s a great honour to have been given the opportunity to represent our great coastal communities in state parliament and I am committed to working with you to make this place the best it can be. 

I’m bias of course, but I really do believe that the seat of Bright is the most beautiful of the Adelaide metropolitan seats. Its individual coastal villages, each with a distinct character, strong sense of community and specific needs, are a wonderful place to live, work and play.

I am committed to representing this community to the best of my ability and to giving every resident a strong voice in our state parliament. No matter who you cast your vote for on election day, I will be here to advocate for you, to assist you in local and state matters and to work to build our community into a great place for you to call home. I will always have your back.

While the Liberal Party was not elected to government, I know I can be a very effective voice from opposition.

My team and I have taken over the Bright electorate office at 7 Sturt Road, Brighton. We’ve given it a quick makeover and extended opening hours from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. If we can be of any assistance, please get in touch via the contact details below. 

I look forward to working with you in this exciting new role and I hope to see you soon.

David.

Bright electorate office now open

The Bright electorate office is now open for business! Please pop in if we can ever be of assistance.

Where: 7 Sturt Road, Brighton

Extended Opening Hours: 9.00 am – 5.00pm, Monday – Friday

A Justice of the Peace service is available. Our JP is usually present, but please book on 8296 9833 to avoid disappointment.

A new approach

People are cynical about politics and politicians. That’s a generalisation, but a fair one. As a new MP, and the second youngest in the House of Assembly, I’m determined to break the ‘same old-same old’ mould and do things differently. My new approach means:

  • My community (that means you) comes first, second and third, it comes before party politics
     
  • I will be continually present, I won’t just appear at election time touting for votes
     
  • My office will provide the best customer service we possibly can, we’ve extended opening hours and the whole team is passionately committed to this community
     
  • We will be activists, we’ll get out there and fight for causes, coming up with new ideas for this community and working hard to make them happen.
     
  • We won’t over promise and under deliver, we’ll be realistic about what we can achieve for you, but we’ll also be visionary and push the boundaries where possible.
     
  • We will serve every member of the community, no matter who you chose to vote for.
     
  • We’ll try not to be too serious, making sure we have some fun along the way.

We can’t fulfil this approach alone. An MP and their office can’t change things without building strong partnerships with the individuals, groups and communities we represent. I look forward to nurturing great relationships with local people as we work together to make this community great.

The team

Helen Dwyer JP

Office Manager and Justice of the Peace

A local through and through, Helen and her husband have lived in Hallett Cove for 25 years.  Helen previously worked in Parliament House and looks forward to serving her home community as office manager and Justice of the Peace. 

In her spare time Helen enjoys cycling, researching her family tree and travelling.

Ruth van den Brink

Policy and Communications Advisor 

An Adelaide girl who has spent time working overseas and in Queensland, Ruth recently moved back to South Australia to work in the Bright electorate office. She previously worked for an international aid agency and is looking forward to serving the local community in her new role.

For fun, Ruth likes to explore new eateries and coffee shops and spend time at the beach (when it’s warm enough!).

Aric Pierce

Trainee 

Aric completed Year 12 at Temple Christian College last year and is our new trainee.  He will spend 12 months in the office to learn about government processes and administration and while here, he’ll be completing his Certificate 3 in Business.

Aric is a successful competitive swimmer and, outside of the office, he enjoys reading, running and staying up to date with current affairs from around the globe.

My maiden speech

On 6 May 2014 I was sworn in as the new Member for Bright and on 7 May 2014 I had the opportunity to deliver my maiden speech in parliament.

The maiden speech gave me the opportunity to talk about the electorate, my personal journey and my vision for my time in parliament. By convention other MPs who are present during the speech sit quietly and respectfully (a rare honour!).

Click here to watch the YouTube clip or to read my maiden speech, click here.

Image: With the two most important women in my life (Hannah and Mum) at Parliament House. 

Free seniors' forum: a dementia friendly community

Building on the success of our last seniors’ forum in March, we want these to be a regular service that our office provides. Our upcoming forum will explore the often difficult issue of Alzheimer’s disease and discuss how we can all work together to make our communities aware and responsive to the needs of sufferers, their families and carers.

Where: Lighthouse Community Church, Jetty Road, Brighton
Time: 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm on Tuesday 12 August 2014 (afternoon tea provided)

Expert guests: Phil Saunders and John Stewart from Alzheimer's Australia are coming to Brighton to listen to you. The State Liberal Leader Steven Marshall will also be in attendance to hear about how we can make South Australia more dementia friendly.

Whether you are a person with dementia, a carer, a family member, or an interested person, you are welcome to participate. We want to share their expertise with you and listen to your experiences and ideas for local action.

RSVP: Ruth van den Brink on (08) 8296 9833

Brighton Road bicycle lane

As many of you would be aware, the government recently announced its intention to install bike lanes along Brighton Road, from Glenelg to Seacliff Park. It is proposed that the bike lanes will operate from 7.00 am to 10.00 am and 3.00 pm to 7.00 pm.

Due to the extreme traffic congestion on Brighton Road, I am broadly supportive of a bike lane (or clearway) operating during periods of peak traffic, but I do not support the proposed hours of operation as they will restrict access to Brighton Road businesses and impact their viability. Also, there are currently bikeways which run in the side streets close to Brighton Road that provide much safer options for bike riders.

In May, I met with Stephen Mullighan MP, the Minister for Transport, to see if we could reach a compromise that would see the bike lane operating hours changed to 7.00 am – 9.00 am and 4.00 pm – 7.00 pm.

I am yet to hear back as to whether the government is willing to compromise by considering these revised hours of operation for the bike lane in order to maximise safety for cyclists, but minimise the impact on the viability of local businesses. I will continue to pursue this with the government and will communicate the outcome of this decision as soon as soon as it is made.

Fix Brighton Road

If you’ve driven along Brighton Road lately you’ll know that it just isn’t working. The road is heavily congested, has a poor and broken surface, looks tired and has multiple safety issues near schools, shopping centres and at difficult intersections.

Despite being Adelaide’s major coastal thoroughfare, responsible for carrying thousands of people every day, Brighton Road has been allowed to slip into a state of neglected disrepair.

I’m committed to getting Brighton Road moving again and will fight to see a long-term plan put in place for its management. The current management approach is piecemeal and has proven ineffective. We need to look at Brighton Road as a whole and develop long-term solutions and in the immediate term the quality of the road surface must be looked at.

This includes getting a railway overpass at the Hove crossing into South Australia’s long-term infrastructure plans. I acknowledge that this is not something that will happen overnight, but this community needs someone to fight for this and I want to be that person!

To help me fight for Brighton Road, I want to hear your feedback. What do you think are the priorities for Brighton Road? What are your experiences? Visit www.fixbrightonroad.com.au to let me know your thoughts and we’ll work together to Fix Brighton Road.

Noise from train horns & level crossing bells

One issue which many of you have raised with me over the past few months are the disturbances caused by the exceptionally high pitch of the electric train horns and the increase in warning bell noise emitted from level crossings at Jetty Road (Brighton), Shoreham Road (South Brighton), Wheatland Street (Seacliff) and Maitland Terrace (Seacliff).

I recently met with Transport Department officials to discuss these concerns and I am pleased to inform you of the following outcomes:

• All horns on electric trains will be replaced with a horn which has a more appropriate tone. This will be undertaken as new trains are phased into the network. In the meantime drivers have been encouraged to use their low frequency horn option whenever possible.

• Level crossing warning bells across the rail network have now been assessed by engineers and noise levels have been adjusted to more appropriate levels.

• Adelaide Metro has introduced a 9.00 pm to 7.00 am curfew where railcar lights provide some additional warning to pedestrians. During this period, train drivers have discretion as to whether they sound their horn or not.

I hope that these changes will go some way to improving the quality of life in our local community and ensure that the benefits from having a train in our community outweigh the negatives.

If either of these issues remain a concern in your neighbourhood, please get in touch with me and I will follow this up again.

Dog beach safety

Walking together on one of Bright’s beautiful beaches is a daily activity that many dog owners enjoy. However, a selection of poisonous snacks could be awaiting man’s best friend if you don’t keep a close eye on them.

Discarded Puffer fish emit a foul odour that attracts dogs and, upon consumption, this fish is toxic to animals and people alike. Symptoms of puffer poisoning include vomiting and diarrhoea, wobbly legs and seizures. If your dog presents these symptoms, you are advised to contact your local veterinary clinic immediately.

After his dog was recently posioned by a puffer, Hove resident, Steve Matheson, urges all dog owners to, "be vigilant as you would be with your children or grandchildren where blue-ringed octopuses are present - puffer fish are just as dangerous. Not only are there puffer fish on the beach, but also the odd snake or two around rabbit warrens in the bushes in the sand dunes. I now keep my two dogs on extend-a-leads to keep a closer eye on what they sniff out.”

Fishers are also urged to dispose of fish carcases responsibly by putting them in a rubbish bin and not leaving them on the beach.

Volunteer at Kingston House

Kingston Historic House is seeking volunteers to help serve Devonshire Tea in the dining rooms one Sunday afternoon per month. They are also seeking people who can help with maintenance and upkeep of this very important property.

If you are interested in history and/or hospitality please join a group of like-minded others who have a lot of fun! 

Contact Fran Lovell on 8296 4063 or at fran@kingstonhouse.com.au.

Holdfast Bay community planting days

Plant natives, learn about our beautiful, local, natural sites in a walk and talk, meet other volunteers and help protect our natural environment. You can also enjoy a free BBQ after each planting session.

Tjilbruke Springs

Where: Meet at Brighton Caravan Park car park, Kingston Park

When: 10.00 am - 12.00 pm, Sunday 3 August 2014

Minda Dunes

Where: Meet at corner of Repton Road and Esplanade, Somerton Park

When: 10.00 am - 12.00 pm, Thursday 14 August 2014

Contact the City of Holdfast Bay Council on 8229 9915 for more information.

Holdfast College for Seniors

The Holdfast College for Seniors holds a fantastic variety of courses for seniors including courses in computing water colour painting, french and chess.

Term three runs for seven weeks from Wednesday 23 July until Friday 5 September and courses are just $20.00 per person.

Register on Friday 18 July between 10.00 am and 12.0 0pm at St Andrews by the Sea, 92 Jetty Road, Glenelg.

Contact Gaye Mietzke on 0402 824 427 for more information.