The Hon. H.J. GUMBYS (15:54): I rise today to recognise the Shirdi Sai Baba Community and Cultural Organisation of South Australia and to congratulate its members on the opening of the Adelaide Shirdi Sai Baba Temple at Waterloo Corner. This opening marks the fulfilment of a dream sustained for almost 20 years. Across these years, ordinary community members gave their time, skills and money to create a permanent spiritual, cultural and community home. They fundraised, worked through planning and approvals, offered professional expertise, assisted with construction and volunteered countless hours. Many stayed with the project from its earliest days. Their achievement deserves to be recorded in this parliament.
The organisation is grounded in the teachings and traditions associated with Shirdi Sai Baba. Those teachings place compassion, tolerance, service and the respect for different faiths and care for people in need at their centre. That spirit is reflected in the organisation's work. It brings together families, children and young people, seniors, newly arrived Australians and people from across South Australia's multicultural community. Its members organised cultural celebrations, educational activities, charitable work and opportunities for people to volunteer and support one another.
That service matters for migrants who have left family and familiar institutions behind. A community organisation can provide an early point of connection and belonging. For children growing up in South Australia, it can be a place to learn the traditions of their parents and grandparents, while sharing those traditions confidently with friends and neighbours. For older people, it can offer companionship, purpose and a continuing role in community life.
The new temple stands on approximately 3½ acres at Supple Road, Waterloo Corner. The official opening, or Prana Pratishtha Mahotsav, took place over three days, beginning on Friday 28 August, with traditional ceremonies, cultural activities, hospitality and community participation. Sunday 30 August saw the formal opening of the temple. It was an incredible immersive experience of sight, sound, smell and joyful worship, and I was honoured to attend. I was fortunate to also run into a number of my many friends from South Australia's Indian community. I caught up with Tejas Kapadia, an AMWU delegate from my time at BAE Systems Edinburgh. I was also pleased to see my friends Asha and Vijay from Baba Alterations and Dry Cleaning at St Agnes, who have pressed my parliamentary shirts to perfection since I became time-poor in my new role.
My own connection to this community has been strengthened through my friend and Labor colleague, Senthil Chidambaranathan. Senthil and I stood together as candidates on Labor's Legislative Council ticket at the 2026 state election. Senthil is an active and hardworking pillar of South Australia's Indian community. He recently coordinated a visit to Parliament House for Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. Maestro Ilaiyaraaja is not only a world-renowned musician and composer but is also a member of the Upper House in the Indian government. Social media recognition of the visit had the South Australian parliament trending not only in Australia but also in India, with over 82,000 engagements and counting.
The opening of the temple is a major milestone, but the organisation's plans do not end there. Subject to planning, funding and the relevant approvals, it hopes to develop a multicultural and community centre on the site. The proposed centre will host cultural and language programs, youth activities, support for seniors, health and wellbeing initiatives, community workshops, arts and music, interfaith engagement and programs for newly arrived migrants. It will also give small and emerging community groups a place to meet and work together.
This is a valuable vision for northern Adelaide. Our state is stronger when people can preserve their culture and faith while participating fully in the wider community. Shared community spaces help make that possible. They can create practical opportunities for people to meet, volunteer and learn from one another, and I congratulate the volunteer management committee and every devotee, family member, donor, adviser and supporter who helped bring the Adelaide Shirdi Sai Baba temple into being. I also acknowledge everyone who contributed to the three-day opening that welcomed visitors to the new temple. After almost two decades of work, the community has a permanent home, and I wish the organisation every success as it begins this new chapter and continues to live out its guiding values of faith, community, culture and service.