17 October 2025
The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (16:42): I also rise to speak in favour of the motion. I should say that when I saw the Hon. Tung Ngo stand earlier I did have a sense of dread wash over me, as I thought that he was going to oppose the motion on behalf of the government as he is often deployed to do. I was very relieved to see that, in fact, the government is supporting the motion and that the Hon. Mr Ngo had been deployed to deliver some good news.
I thank the Hon. Tammy Franks for putting this forward for discussion and decision today. I agree with all of the comments that have been made. I think this is a timely proposal and one that would bring significant benefits to our state. I understand that since 1997 the Marine Discovery Centre has been South Australia's cornerstone for marine education, engaging over 130,000 students and thousands of community members with hands-on learning.
It has achieved international recognition, including a UNESCO award for environmental education, as the state's only coastal and marine educational facility for school-age students and the wider community. The facility has delivered award-winning programs to integrate marine science, coastal safety, sustainability and Aboriginal cultural education. But, as the Hon. Nicola Centofanti alluded to, there is, of course, a problem, though, in that demand for the centre far exceeds the capacity.
With its limited facilities located within a school, the MDC serves only 4 per cent of South Australian students annually and can only be opened to the public on weekends. That is despite the fact that there is a growing community appetite for science-based, trusted marine education. I understand the proponents of the Southern Ocean Discovery Centre are seeking $25 million to design and construct the Southern Ocean Discovery Centre at Tennyson Dunes, building on the success of the award-winning Marine Discovery Centre.
The proponents have created the Southern Ocean Discovery Centre as a company limited by guarantee, underpinned by a board of experts, a number of pre-eminent people, as the Hon. Tammy Franks has identified. The centre would bring a number of benefits, I believe. I think the toxic algal bloom that our state has been grappling with over several months now demonstrates the vital role of our oceans and demonstrates that we are all at the mercy of the sea and the natural world. I think this will lead to a renewed interest in science and research at the moment.
There is also a significant public health and literacy gap in our nation, with 10 per cent of children visiting the current Marine Discovery Centre having never been to the beach and many having never entered the ocean or understanding ocean currents. This disconnect increases risk to coastal safety, reduces community resilience and weakens environmental stewardship. This new centre has the opportunity to bring in more people.
It is also the case that South Australia is the odd one out here. Other states have centres such as this in place—we should be doing the same. I hope the federal government and the state government can make this a priority. I thank the Hon. Tammy Franks for putting this forward.