Ms WORTH (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs) (9:54 AM) —I am pleased to have the opportunity to provide an update on the progress of the once very badly contaminated land at the former Islington rail yards site in my electorate and to ensure that the good news is recorded on the parliamentary record, just as the extraordinary struggle to achieve the right outcome has been recorded. In 1994, Jack Watkins and Tony Ollivier came to my office with a seemingly insurmountable problem. On 9 December 1994, I raised the issue in the House of Representatives—and again on 20 and 26 June 1995—explaining that a 12-hectare area north of the workshops and close to housing had effectively been used as an uncontrolled landfill.

As I explained then, about 200,000 tonnes of waste—including asbestos, solid cyanide, acids, lead and arsenic—had been dumped. On 18 December 1996, after a change of government, I was able to announce that there had been very good news in the budget which would ensure that there would be funding for the clean-up. On 10 February 1997, I advised that a good, safe plan was being developed. In 1998, Transport South Australia requested that the Land Management Corporation manage the environmental remediation of the Islington site on a fee-for-service basis. It was able to do that because of the $5.5 million funding from the federal government which I had squeezed out of the relevant ministers at the time.

The strategy resulted in the creation of a five-hectare area suitable for industrial use, which would provide an economic benefit to the state in the form of future lease revenue. In addition, the strategy provided a significant community benefit in a 250-metre wide landscape buffer zone between the industrial area and neighbouring houses. Work commenced on that site in July 1999. We are preparing for the opening later this year of what has become parkland and open space—something which will be of enormous benefit to the people who live in that area. I could not be more pleased. I pay tribute to former transport ministers Sharp and Vaile. It has been one of the longest struggles in my electorate, and I am pleased to be able to report a favourable outcome.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Nehl)—Order! In accordance with standing order 275A, the time for members' statements has concluded.