Mr PASIN (Barker) (18:40): As this, the 45th Parliament, draws to an end, I thought I’d take this opportunity to update the House and, in particular, my constituency on some of the projects I am seeking to deliver.
Murray Bridge is one of the largest centres in my electorate of Barker and it is known as a regional city. Murray Bridge centres around the mighty Murray River, a river which is quite familiar to those in place—and there is certainly a lot spoken about it. It is important because of the vibrancy it delivers to river communities in particular—in this case, the community of Murray Bridge.
The river is quite simply the lifeblood of so many communities and towns in my electorate of Barker, and Murray Bridge is no exception. The township of Murray Bridge, originally called Mobilong and later Edward’s Crossing, was established when a road bridge over the Murray River was completed in 1879. It was followed in 1886 by the Adelaide-Melbourne railway line, which ensured the city’s importance as a vital link across the river. It is a beautiful part of the river, but over the past century and a half the town has grown. Shopping centres have been built and the river bank has not been developed to the community’s benefit.
Sturt Reserve is a wonderful open area for community members to enjoy. Indeed, it is the home of the Murray Bridge Rowing Club, the Murray Bridge Community Club, the Murray Bridge Lawn Tennis Club and the popular Riverscape Cafe. To put it bluntly, this area is in need of an upgrade to realise the full social and economic potential of this iconic part of Murray Bridge. I recently met with the Mayor and the CEO of the Rural City of Murray Bridge, and I am incredibly keen to work with them to see the riverfront at Sturt Reserve upgraded to become the vibrant community hub it can be, where locals and visitors can enjoy the iconic River Murray in the way that they should.
