- TRAVEL REPORT Minister for Education and Children`s Services

T SERVIGEs OFFICE
-
9 SEP 2006
TRAVEL REPORT
SSE OF ASSEMBLY
Dr Jane Lomax-Smith
Minister for Education and Children's Services
Minister for Tourism
Minister for the City of Adelaide
Member for Adelaide
London and France
Monday 26 June 2006 to Tuesday 4 July 2006
To represent the Premier at the Battle of the Somme 90th anniversary commemorations
Accompanied by the Opposition's Deputy Leader in the Legislative Council David Ridgway
(for part of the journey)
Objectives of the travel
o The Premier and Cabinet requested that I represent the Government of South Australia
at 90th anniversary commemorations for the Battle of the Somme.
o The Government also invited a representative of the State Opposition to attend and
David Ridgway was nominated as their representative .
o Our main objective was to attend commemorative ceremonies in Dernancourt, France a small village that was `adopted' by Adelaide after its destruction in the World War 1
Battle.
o I visited Dernancourt School in France and took gifts on behalf of the South Australian
school that shares its name - Dernancourt Primary School.
o I also used the opportunity to represent South Australia at British, Canadian and
Australian commemorations to honour the memory of soldiers who were killed or
wounded in the Battle of the Somme .
London
Arrived: Tuesday 27 June 2006
Departed: Thursday 29 June 2006
o Met with the South Australian Agent General, who is based in South Australia's London
office, to discuss facilities management and investment opportunities for the State .
o Visited Australia House to meet with officers who represent the South Australian
Government in Europe and _work closely with us on our goals and objectives for the
State, including assisting the work of the South Australian Tourism Commission in
attracting tourists to South Australia.
0 Visited a high school in outer London to meet the principal and discuss how the highly
multicultural school has turned around its attainment levels in the last decade. The year
6 to 11 school now has one of the highest attainment levels of any high school in
London and has formed strong partnerships with four local primary schools. I was
taken on a tour of the school by students and heard much about their work to improve
the culture of the school and the quality of teaching as part of a multi-pronged approach
to improving student achievement.
0 Met with Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield, a former Thinker in Residence in South
Australia, to discuss the Bragg initiatives and progress on each of the actions instigated
as a result of her time in South Australia.
0 Toured the Royal Institution with Dr Frank James, an historian and archivist, with
reference to the Braggs and archival material in Australia and England.
0 Attended and spoke at a reception for the South Australian Business Ambassadors
Network, held at Australia House to welcome the newest members of the network. I
spoke about the burgeoning opportunities in South Australia in terms of employment,
tourism, business investment, mining and education and the ability of our Ambassadors
to sell these messages overseas . Have talked about . the need to incorporate our State's
"Brilliant Blend" branding into SABAN's promotions and provide the Ambassadors
with more specific information about happenings in South Australia.
Paris
Arrived: Thursday 29 June
Departed: Friday 30 June
o Met with the South Australian Tourism Commission's manager for Southern Europe to
discuss ongoing work to promote South Australia as a tourist destination.
o Attended the Musee du Quai Branly which opened in June and incorporates the works
of eight contemporary Aboriginal artists into its structure. Have identified opportunities
for the sale of Aboriginal artworks and. craft items prepared in South Australia.
Amiens and Dernancourt
Arrived: Friday 30 June
Departed: Saturday 1 July
Adelaide holds a special place in the history of the community of Dernancourt, France. Ninety
years ago, this small French village welcomed into its homes many South Australian soldiers.
The World War I battle, across the fields of the Somme, resulted in Dernancourt's destruction.
After the War, Adelaide `adopted' the community, sending over gifts and funds to help .
reconstruct the ruined village.
Dernancourt's gratitude is still evident today. Its school bears the Australian flag, a road carries
the name `Australie' and its school building is named `Pavilion Adelaide'. As a result of our
visit, I am exploring opportunities to build the links between Adelaide and Dernancourt in
France. While visiting, we took part in a number of commemorative activities including:
o Visited Dernancourt School, a small school of 40 students, and took gifts made by
students of Dernancourt Primary School in South Australia.
o Attended a reception with local dignitaries, including the school principal, the Mayor
and councillors of Dernancourt and a local businessman and historian who has taken a
great interest and conducted significant research on South Australia's links to
Dernancourt.
o Visited a Battle of the Somme interactive museum in nearby Albert.
o Attended the opening of a commemorative exhibition in Dernancourt, recounting their
place in the Battle of the Somme, the destruction of their town and Dernancourt's
rebirth, assisted by the people of Adelaide, South Australia.
o Laid wreaths from the people of South Australia at first the French and Commonwealth
cemeteries and then the Dernancourt cemetery to honour those who made the ultimate
sacrifice for France's freedom.
o Laid a wreath at the Great War Memorial in Dernancourt and assisted the Federal
Minister for Veterans' Affairs to release pigeons and pay homage at a plaque in the town
centre.
o Attended an evening concert in the local parish church, featuring a performance from
the district orchestra, to deliver a speech (attached) of thanks and recognition. Presented
gifts from South Australia, including a photographic record of a report in The Register of
Dernancourt's gratitude to Adelaide and a Dernancourt street sign from the City of Tea
Tree Gully. The community had a photo of the sign included in their commemorative
exhibition and the Mayor was delighted to receive the `real thing' from South Australia .
o joined local residents at a post-concert reception where gifts of appreciation from South
Australia were presented to local dignitaries and their wives.
Lille, Fromelles and various WWI battlegrounds
Arrived: Saturday 1 July
Departed: Sunday 2 July
The South Australian representatives joined a delegation from the Australian Government,
including the Australian Ambassador to France and the Federal. Minister for Veterans' Affairs .
o Attended Canadian commemorations, marking the involvement of Newfoundland and
Labrador in the Battle of the Somme, held at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland
Memorial in the presence of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and Colonel-in
Chief of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
o Attended British commemorations at the Franco-British Theipval memorial in the
presence of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall .
o Attended Australian commemorations at the `Cobber' Australian Memorial Park
overlooking the fields of Fromelles where thousands of Australian soldiers perished.
o Visited the South African and New Zealand memorials to honour the involvement of
their countries in battles on French soil.
o Visited the World War I museum, dedicated to Australian-French friendship, in
Fromelles .
o Attended a reception at Fromelles and joined in town celebrations where Mr Jacques
Brehin MBE was presented with an Order of Australia medal for helping to preserve the
memory of World War 11 typhoon fighter pilots, particularly RAAF pilots who served
with RAF units in the Normandy region of France.
I left France on Sunday 2 July and returned to London to fly back to Adelaide the same day,
arriving home on Tuesday 4 July.
Dernancourt, France
Friday, 30 June 2006
Je vous remercie de votre accueil tres convivial .
J'ai I'honneur de representer aupres de vous la population d'Adelaide, sous I'egide du
Chef du Gouvernement de I'Australie du Sud, M . Mike Rann.
Je suis depute pour la siege d'Adelaide, et memo temps je suis Ministre de
I'Education en Australie du Sud .
Je suis tres fare quo les habitants d'Adela de et de Dernancourt entretiennent depuis
pros de quatre-vingt-dix ans des relations intimes et historiques .
Ces liens privilegies sont bases sur la mort terrible d'un grand nombre de nos jeunes
hommes, ainsi quo sur la quasi-destruction presque entire du village de Dernancourt .
Mais aujourd'hui, ('esprit des gens de Dernancourt continue
a vivre ; notre
amitie
egalement .
Les soldats australiens ont beneficie de I'hospitalite et du soutien de vos concitoyens .
En retour, apres la Premiere Guerre Mondiale, les gens d'Adelaide et de I'Australie du
Sud ont apporte lour aide aux gens de Dernancourt pour les remercier de I'aide
magnifique dont nous etions debiteurs aupres des Frangais qui ont fait montre de
bravoure .
Mais nos liens historiques avec la France remontent
a bien avant la Premiere Guerre
Mondiale .
Le premier a faire une carte des cotes de I'Australie du Sud a ete le Capitaine Nicolas
Baudin,
a bord
de son vaisseau Le Geographe en mille huit cents deux (1802).
Noun avons aujourd'hui des endroits avec des noms frangais comme la Baie
Lacepede, la Peninsule Fleurieu,
la Baie d'Estrees, le Cap d'Estaing et la Baie Murat.
Nous aurions pu devenir une colonie frangaise . Ce West pas le cas, mais Les relations
demeurent .
2
Aujourd'hui, nous avons des manifestations culturelles, des liens dans le commerce et
la viticulture et nous accueillons de nombreux visiteurs frangais .
Le Capitaine Baudin serait sans doute fier de savoir que les jeunes hommes nes pros
d'endroits qu'ils a reconnus en Australie du Sud sont venus aider ses compatriotes
frangais, notamment ici a Dernancourt .
Malheureusement, un grand nombre de nos jeunes hommes reposent en paix pour
toujours pres d'ici .
Aujourd'hui, nous rendons hommage a ces jeunes soldats . Nous rendons hommage
aux Frangais et a leur bravoure .
Je suis fiere que le village de Dernancourt en France et le faubourg de Dernancourt a
Adelaide soient voues a preserver notre amitie, dans I'affection, la paix et le respect
mutuel .
Je me rejouis d'avance du concert qui va commence et, une fois encore, je remercie
Monsieur le Maire et les gens de Dernancourt .
Je suis ravie de vous offrir ce panneau routier de notre faubourg d'Adelaide en
souvenir de ce jour et en temoignage de notre amitie .
STUDY TOUR REPORT
U 'EAKER
HOUSE OF ASSEN