CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr VENNING (Grey) (12:02): I rise today to raise the alarm on behalf of my struggling regional communities experiencing crime, anti-social behaviour and poor mental health. I've had 27 letters plus harrowing videos sent to me mostly from Ceduna businesses, all of which tell me they're on the brink of closing. Here are some examples: People are intentionally stealing stock and abusing staff members.

Another remarked: Never seen so much shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in my life. Many— A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 12:02 to 12:11 Mr VENNING: Many indicated that they used to leave the door open, but now they have to lock it, and the list goes on and on. The antisocial conduct has been so concerning that the CBD has been designated by SA Police as a declared shopping precinct.

This grants SA Police expanded temporary powers to search and move people out of the Ceduna CBD to ensure public safety. But it's not just Ceduna where crime and antisocial behaviour are spiralling out of control. Home invasions and street violence in Port Augusta are placing enormous pressure on police and local services.

Suicide rates are way too high in Streaky Bay, where there is a constant shortage of mental health workers. Currently, it's up to our incredible volunteers to do all the heavy lifting, and they are burnt out. All of these issues are rearing their head in the far north in places like Coober Pedy.

Things are so out of hand in Coober Pedy that the mental health commissioner was compelled to visit on 27 May. I am told by the SA Mental Health Commissioner that services are stretched and problems are escalating. If the South Australian Mental Health Commissioner can acknowledge that Coober Pedy is in desperate need of help, then why is it so hard for this government to do the same?

If we can hear the alarm bell raised by local leaders in rural and remote areas of South Australia, why does this government block its ears? The sad reality is that these communities have been left behind and pushed into a crime and mental health crisis. If mental health outcomes in these areas continue to deteriorate, there'll be more crime, more violence and more people being pushed into our crumbling public health system.

Crime and antisocial behaviour are destroying these once thriving regional communities. I stand with the families, business owners and local leaders and regional towns like Ceduna, Port Augusta, Streaky Bay and Coober Pedy. I urge the government to start allocating resources to address these very real problems before it is too late.

Five students from Whyalla have done something truly remarkable. Eli Coppins, Caelan Kaminski, Simon Coppins, Shannon Bayogos and Karman Randhawa will be representing the electorate of Grey on the world stage at the H2 Grand Prix World Finals in Switzerland. How incredible is that!