South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission, $500,000

South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service, $3,525,000

South Australian State Emergency Service, $100,000

Administered Items for the Department of Treasury and Finance, $4,305,351,000

Membership:

Hon. V.A. Tarzia substituted for Mr Cowdrey.

Mr Pederick substituted for Mr Teague.

Ms Hutchesson substituted for Mrs Pearce.

S.E. Andrews substituted for Mr Odenwalder.

Minister:

Hon. D.R. Cregan, Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Special Minister of State.

Departmental Advisers:

Ms J. Waddington-Powell, Chief Executive, South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission.

Ms J. Best, Chief Financial Officer, South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission.

Mr B. Loughlin, Chief Officer, Country Fire Service.

Mr J. Swann, Chief Officer, South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service.

Mr C. Beattie, Chief Officer, State Emergency Service.

Ms A. Tajnikar, Business Manager, Country Fire Service.

Mr M. Fernando, Business Manager, South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service.

Mr G. Tudini, Business Manager, State Emergency Service.

The CHAIR: Welcome back to today's Estimates Committee hearing. I understand that the minister and the lead speaker for the opposition have agreed on an approximate time for the consideration of the proposed payments.

I remind members that all questions are to be directed to the minister, not the minister's advisers. The minister may refer questions to advisers for a response. Questions must be based on lines of expenditure in the budget papers and must be identifiable or referenced.

If the minister undertakes to supply information at a later date, it must be submitted to the Clerk Assistant via the Answers to Questions mailbox no later than Friday 6 September 2024. Members unable to complete their questions during the proceedings may submit them as questions on notice for inclusion in the assembly Notice Paper.

The rules of debate in the house apply in the committee. That is with asking questions, not commentary. Ministers and members may not table documents before the committee; however, documents can be supplied to the Chair for distribution.

I will allow both the minister and the lead speaker for the opposition to make opening statements, should they wish to do so, of up to 10 minutes. If not, they can proceed to naming their advisers. Also, the members for the opposition can go straight into their question time. I have noticed that we have started a couple of minutes late. I will add that time to the end of the session.

The portfolios we are dealing with now are SAFECOM, Country Fire Service, Metropolitan Fire Service and State Emergency Service. The minister appearing is the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. I declare the proposed payments open for examination. Minister, the floor is yours.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: Thank you, Chair. By way of introduction, I am accompanied by Ms Julia Waddington-Powell, the Chief Executive of the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission; Ms Julie Best, the chief financial officer and director of finance; Mr Brett Loughlin, the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service; and Mr Jeff Swann, the Chief Officer of the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service. Also joining me is Mr Chris Beattie, the Chief Officer of the South Australian State Emergency Service.

I would like to start by acknowledging the very hard work of the many staff and volunteers across the emergency services sector. I thank each and every one for their ongoing commitment to serve the community and to support the preservation of life, property and the safety of all South Australians.

As the Chair is aware, as the member for Kavel, I have experienced firsthand the impacts that emergency disasters have on the community. The 2019-20 Black Summer fires impacted many people, their families, their businesses and the natural environment. As the Minister for Emergency Services, I acknowledge the collegiate nature of the response efforts of the CFS, MFS and SES, with strong support from SAFECOM and other organisations such as the South Australia Police, the South Australian Ambulance Service, the Department for Environment and Water, ForestrySA and local government.

This year, the government has invested $19.602 million for the 2024-25 state budget in the emergency services sector. I would like to highlight that this includes $10.1 million for the cost of extraordinary events that occurred in the 2023-24 period. This provides for an extension of aerial firefighting capability to support the CFS with the cost of responding to significant fires, including those caused by the December lightning events across Eyre Peninsula, Mambray Creek, Fisher, Naracoorte, Keilira, Gluepot, Kapinnie and Bundaleer North.

I also acknowledge the additional contribution of $385,000 in 2023-24 from the Australian government towards aircraft costs received in the National Aerial Firefighting Centre. I am pleased with the additional $450,000 to enable the CFS to purchase two additional four-wheel drive quick response vehicles that can carry approximately 500 litres of water for ground-based firefighting. This initiative is funded by the Australian government under the Protecting Our Communities (Disaster Resilience) Program.

The 2024-25 state budget included an additional $5 million over two years to the Metropolitan Fire Service and the Country Fire Service to undertake PFAS testing and remediation of their fire stations and other facilities and to undertake further assessment to determine future remediation requirements. While PFAS has been banned since 2018, the potential impacts on human health and the environment remain at some sites where PFAS was used in training and exercises. This funding will support the CFS and MFS to identify residual contamination from the historical use of PFAS.

As members are aware, $435,000 has been allocated over two years from 2024-25 for the state's volunteer marine rescue associations to maintain their rescue capability, including support to replace vessels at Wallaroo and Lonsdale. This initiative will supplement funding provided through the 2023-24 financial year to bolster the funding to the South Australian Sea Rescue Squadron at Wallaroo for the vessel and tow vehicle replacement program. It will also support the South Australian Sea Rescue Squadron at Lonsdale with a new rescue vessel and operating costs. This will add to South Australia's marine rescue capabilities and, of course, our overall response to marine incidents and emergencies along our South Australian coastline.

An additional $2.4 million is being invested in 2025-26 to relocate the Prospect SES unit to a new facility at Angle Park, taking total funding for the new facility to $6.6 million. The new facility is expected to be completed in 2026. I understand it will provide volunteers a very modern operating building, of course, with space for appliances, a sandbagging area and a hard stand for training and car parking. This initiative provides $429,000 of operating expenses over three years from 2024-25 for short-term leasing of a temporary site while the new facility is being constructed. This project is funded through the emergency services levy.

I would like to take this opportunity to talk about some of the targets that SAFECOM has set for the 2024-25 financial year. In the 2023-24 state budget an ongoing funding course was provided to SAFECOM to invest in additional programs and support services to strengthen mental health and wellbeing resources for staff, volunteers and families. The funding has provided additional staff resources to develop, implement and monitor a three-year mental health and wellbeing strategy for the emergency services sector and to develop and implement a four-year suicide prevention action plan. This investment will support volunteers, their families and workers to build resilience and their support networks. I cannot stress enough how important this measure is to our communities and volunteers.

SAFECOM are working on the delivery of the enhanced Alert SA application which will provide South Australians with additional information and real-time updates on emergencies. Together, these measures will support the emergency services sector to prepare for, respond to and assist community in their recovery efforts. I thank all volunteers, staff and families for their continued dedication to emergency services in South Australia.

Mr PEDERICK: I will just go straight to questions. Minister, I go to Budget Paper 1, Budget Overview, page 30. In regard to the PFAS remediation and testing of MFS and CFS facilities, how many sites have been tested so far?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I might invite the MFS chief officer to address the question.

Mr SWANN: Thank you very much. Just In relation to PFAS the MFS is risk-assessing all of our current sites and former sites for PFAS. We are in the process of risk-assessing those. Sites assessed as the highest risk have been tested, and that equates to eight sites in total that have been tested. All the others have been risk-assessed for MFS.

Mr PEDERICK: And in regard to the CFS?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I invite the chief officer to contribute.

Mr LOUGHLIN: Thank you for the question. At this stage the CFS has tested four sites, and we are working with the EPA to test and work out a risk assessment process for the remainder of our sites.

Mr PEDERICK: Thank you. So when do both the CFS and the MFS expect all sites to be tested by?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I will turn to the MFS first and then we will go to the CFS.

Mr SWANN: Thank you very much for the question. The MFS is expecting to have all sites triaged and risk-assessed within the next 12 months. The testing will be completed on a basis in consultation with the EPA. At this stage there is no guarantee we will be testing all sites; that will be done in consultation with the EPA and the relevant risk assessing. So I could not give a timeline for when they would all be tested.

Mr PEDERICK: And the CFS? What other sites do you think need to be tested or how many and when will they be tested by?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I will turn to the CFS chief.

Mr LOUGHLIN: Thank you, minister, and thank you for the question, Mr Pederick. I have a very similar answer to that of the Metropolitan Fire Service. We will work through with the EPA to determine the risk assessment and then we will start the testing process. The testing process will vary from site to site—that has been our experience so far—so it is a difficult one to quantify at this stage. The opportunity for both fire services to work together and ensure we have a joined-up, seamless approach to this is, I think, a benefit that will come from this process.

Mr PEDERICK: Out of the sites that have been tested, how many have been identified as having a level of PFAS that is of concern to the MFS and the CFS?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: We might again turn to the chief officers.

Mr SWANN: There is a range of issues relating to PFAS that is changing and evolving. There are levels relating to the human health impact and there are levels relating to the environmental impact that all differ, so to actually give a definitive answer as to which ones have been risk assessed as 'of concern' is challenging, because even the standards for environmental impact are changing. Of the eight that we have tested, all eight have some small levels of PFAS in the soil that certainly represents potential for environmental impact, but we are working with the EPA to address that.

Mr PEDERICK: And the CFS?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I will go to the CFS chief.

Mr LOUGHLIN: Thank you. The ongoing investigations are focused on our State Training Centre at Brukunga, our Region 5 Training Centre based out of Naracoorte, and our site at Cherry Gardens at this point in time. We are also in some preliminary stages of doing some investigating of a site at Millicent and, as I said, we will continue to work through. As Chief Officer Swann has highlighted, there are differences between levels for environmental impact and levels for human health impacts, so it is very much a case-by-case, site-by-site basis.

Mr PEDERICK: Has remediation work commenced at any of the sites of concern, or has there been remediation work recommended to be done on these sites?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I think, again, we might turn to both agencies. Following their contributions I will provide a bit more of an overview to members present in relation to the government-funded program. I turn to the MFS chief officer first, who has lead responsibility in relation to management of PFAS as between these two agencies.

Mr SWANN: Thank you very much for the question again. Of the sites that we have tested, one has undergone remediation works and the others are still in consultation with the EPA as to the appropriate level of works. Depending on the zoning of those parcels of land, there is a different standard, depending on residential and commercial and if it is a fire station. It is based on the use around it. We are in consultation with the EPA for any works moving forward. Only one station has had remediation works to this point for the MFS.

Mr PEDERICK: And the CFS?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: Through the Chair, to the CFS chief before I make a short contribution.

Mr LOUGHLIN: Thank you. At this stage we have undertaken remediation works at our Brukunga site, which is the State Training Centre. That has included the installation of a water filtration plant that has improved the water quality for the area, and just recently we held a community consultation meeting there with the EPA and our specialist contractors who are doing the testing to keep the community up to date with the progress that we have made at that site.

There are some minor remediation works that have occurred at Cherry Gardens and also some minor remediation works that have occurred at Naracoorte. At the Naracoorte site we have the space that we can avoid using the area where there are levels of PFAS recorded in the soil, so that site requires a lot less remediation work at this time.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: As earlier indicated, the Metropolitan Fire Service is the lead agency assisting in the identification of sites—assisted, of course, by the Environment Protection Authority. The MFS, as earlier indicated, are proactive in investigating and reducing their contamination of the environment. It is right to say, too, that the CFS have a considerable focus on these matters.

In terms of MFS stations, those stations may require a preliminary site investigation. Of course, there is sampling and analysis, and a quality plan and detailed site investigation may be necessary. Those investigations may then require remediation or ongoing groundwater monitoring for a set number of years; the number of years is usually determined by consultation with the SA Environment Protection Authority, as earlier foreshadowed. The costs of remediation are informed by the EPA's requirement for each station. The EPA's expertise, of course, is considerable with respect to these matters, as is the expertise of the Metropolitan Fire Service and the CFS.

Prior funding from 2019 allowed the Metropolitan Fire Service to provide medical testing for firefighters exposed to PFAS substances, addressing what had been identified as a human health risk, and funding provided over two years from 2024-25 relates to another successful budget measure to undertake PFAS testing and, of course, environmental remediation of fire stations and other facilities and to undertake further assessment to determine potential future remediation requirements, as we have explored.

I think it is important for me to inform members that, historically, the Metropolitan Fire Service in particular used class B aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) containing the PFAS substances. The Metropolitan Fire Service, as I understand it, proactively phased out the use of these products, I am advised, by 2016 following consultation and liaison with the Australasian fire and emergency services council and the EPA, which has maintained ongoing support.

The Metropolitan Fire Service has also worked closely with the United Fire Fighters Union of South Australia (UFUSA) to implement voluntary PFAS blood testing. The Metropolitan Fire Service, I am also advised, instigated a blood reduction program in conjunction with a general practitioner for those staff who wished to reduce PFAS in their bloodstream. The program has had positive results, I am advised, and the Metropolitan Fire Service and SA Health are preparing a paper to ensure that the results of that program can be more widely shared with other general practitioners, medical practitioners and those who are conducting research and monitoring of this important issue.

Mr PEDERICK: I switch to an SES question. In regard to the relocation of the Prospect SES unit, have negotiations for the interim site in Dudley Park been finalised?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I am informed that the terms have been agreed and that advice is being sought from a Crown lawyer as to the terms of an appropriate lease arrangement.

Mr ELLIS: On the SES topic, minister, my annual question: on Budget Paper 4, Volume 2, page 93, under targets it lists the provision of one rescue vessel. If I can weave a couple of questions in: where is that vessel scheduled, is there one planned for Point Turton and, if not, does the agency consider it a strategic gap that there are currently limited VMR services in Turton?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I thank the member for Narungga for the question. I should emphasise that the member for Narungga has been a determined local member, not only in relation to marine rescue resources but also with respect to emergency services resources more generally in his community. He is fierce and direct with ministers, as he should rightly be, he has a command of the matters that are of concern to his community and he has had quite some success, I should say, in ensuring that there are additional marine rescue resources now being provided to Wallaroo.

He has also, over a number of years, emphasised the importance to his community of additional investment at Point Turton and he has also emphasised the importance of additional resources and investment in Country Fire Services throughout his community. I will seek some additional advice momentarily. I am informed by the SES chief that any provision for Point Turton is sitting outside the current funding cycle. However, the matters that the member for Narungga has raised are important and I undertake to come back to him with a more detailed answer on notice.

Additional resources for marine rescue, however, have been informed by the contributions that the member for Narungga has made to the house; contributions he has made by representations to me and contributions he has made through representations to previous ministers, and some of those representations have been very important in local decision-making in ensuring that marine rescue in South Australia and across his community is never outside the focus and concentration of the relevant minister, and also, of course, the relevant service chief.

Mr PEDERICK: Same budget line, Budget Overview, Budget Paper 1, page 30: which CFS units received the new four-wheel-drive quick-response vehicles that were purchased in 2023-24?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I thank the shadow minister for the question. I am informed that the vehicles are in the build phase. I understand that across the country there has been difficulty in obtaining the appropriate chassis; however, all efforts are being made to build and procure these important vehicles for the Country Fire Service.

Mr PEDERICK: Just as a bit of an offline question to that, are they Toyota chassis, or is there a particular brand that is being sought?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: The chassis are Toyota chassis. The build is being completed in New South Wales. We have had access to a national contracting arrangement through the support of AFAC. We understand that there are a number of vehicles already in service and they have been welcomed by volunteers. I am advised that they are very capable vehicles.

Mr PEDERICK: The same budget line: has the CFS facilities audit commenced and, if not, when is it due to commence?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I will turn to the CFS chief in relation to this matter.

Mr LOUGHLIN: Thank you minister and thank you for the question. We appreciate the support of parliament in raising the issues pertaining to CFS facilities and welcome the facilities audit as a way to take meaningful steps towards improving our sites and meeting the community in volunteer expectations. Since the announcement has been made, we have drawn up the required procurement documents and they are going through that process now so that we can go to market and procure a company to undertake this important work on behalf of the agency.

Mr PEDERICK: In light of that answer, can you identify which CFS sites you are already aware of that are not up to standard?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I think it is important to observe that there are more than 450 property assets within the CFS portfolio. The number of stations is 425, and accordingly it is a significant task to conduct this audit. But the CFS, of course, has a reasonable understanding of the condition of its assets. A number of these assets are legacy assets that have come from councils in the 1990s. This initiative is an important one. It allows for the CFS to scope out and produce a detailed record or ensure it has a detailed understanding of the current state of all those assets.

As members are aware, the initiative provides $817,000 over two years, from 2024-25 to the CFS to ensure that they can conduct that audit and establish an additional facilities maintenance program and also develop a standard facilities benchmark. Importantly, members may be aware that the measure also includes two temporary fulltime equivalent staff likely to be contracted to achieve the project timeline. No doubt, those staff will be engaged and commence the audit once they are engaged by the agency.

Mr PEDERICK: In regard to the need for a facilities audit, why is a facilities audit required for an organisation that receives millions of dollars through the Emergency Services Levy and should already have a running inventory of the state of facilities and vehicles?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: The CFS already has a reasonably good understanding of the condition of its assets, but it is important for there to be additional resources to support the CFS in scoping out, as I have earlier indicated, works that may be necessary to bring these assets further up to standard. As I have earlier indicated, a large number of these assets were legacy assets that were not purpose-built by or for the CFS. They remain in the CFS asset pool and it is very, very important that additional money be provided from government for an overall position to be determined. I understand that the CFS is very keen to know the outcome, of course, of the audit, so that it can direct additional funding or build business cases for additional funding. I might turn to the CFS chief as well to contribute on this point.

Mr LOUGHLIN: Thank you, minister. One of the outcomes we are keen to achieve is to have that detailed replacement schedule across all 455 sites, so that volunteers can see where their station is in order of the priority that is identified. We know that will help provide some certainty for our members, and we know that transparency around replacement schedules is something that our volunteers have long called for improvement in. The results of the audit will help inform that. It will also help us inform a better program of maintenance work, so we can look at bigger ticket preventative items that will extend the life of many of our current facilities, so beyond doing repairs and maintenance into programs of preventative maintenance. It will be an important snapshot in time of where our 455 sites are up to, and how that schedule for replacement can be prioritised.

Mr PEDERICK: Prior to this audit, minister, has there not been a self-reporting process from brigades into headquarters on the status of facilities in the CFS?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: The answer is yes, brigades are providing information to the CFS, and have done so historically.

Mr PEDERICK: Again, if there has been a regular input of reporting from brigades, I am a bit stunned why there needs to be another audit done of an organisation of 13,500 volunteers and hundreds of paid staff to find out exactly what is going on with facilities.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: As the shadow minister will appreciate, the volunteers are not all engineers, not all builders and not all carpenters. The skill set available to different stations in terms of volunteers is different. There is considerable capacity within the organisation to identify defects or legacy issues within property assets, but to ensure that there is a complete picture, for the reasons that I have outlined, and the chief has outlined, for the purposes that have been outlined, it is important that this work be undertaken.

As a shadow minister will appreciate, the dilapidation of assets or damage to assets can occur in different ways. It is not just the effluxion of time. It might be damage through weather events. It might be matters that relate to the condition of different materials that have been used across these assets. We have earlier indicated or explored the idea that not all of these assets were purpose built for the CFS. They have come in as legacy assets into the property portfolio, and now is an opportune time to advance the investigation, as we have outlined and for the purposes outlined, and through you, Mr Chair, I might invite the CFS chief to add any additional or further matters that he may wish.

Mr LOUGHLIN: Thank you, minister, and you have certainly covered the issue well. All our volunteers are obviously incredibly important across the state, and this prioritisation, though, of which stations are in the most need will help us make evidence-based decisions around that investment as we move forward. This work is combined then with the improvements to our standard station design program that we have been implementing, which is a volunteer-led program to make sure that our fire stations meet the requirements and the needs of our volunteers into the future, and that has been a very successful project that is in its final stages at the moment. We will be able to combine the results of the audit with the standard station designs, and be able to greatly advance the number of stations we build, the transparency we provide our volunteers, and the evidence-based decisions that we make around this important topic.

Mr PEDERICK: So the findings of the audit will be released to the public?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: The CFS chief has indicated to me his intention to ensure that information with respect to the condition of different brigades is shared with those brigades, I anticipate in the first instance, and decisions can be made from there.

Mr PEDERICK: But not in a general public sense is what I am asking.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: That would be a question for government at the time in possession of the audit. The audit is yet to commence; the staff are yet to be engaged and the funding has only just been provided.

Mr PEDERICK: I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 2, page 34, investing expenditure summary, existing projects. In regard to lines 2 and 4, why is the 2024-25 budget allocation for the high and bulk capacity fleet renewal and mid-capacity fleet renewal projects yet to be determined?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: Funding is still in the program stage; it is yet to be allocated.

Mr PEDERICK: So you believe sufficient funding will be found to replace the vehicles that need replacing?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I thank the shadow minister for the question and I will turn to the CFS chief.

Mr LOUGHLIN: Thank you, minister, and thank you for the question. As the member would be well aware, the CFS is very proud of our fleet and the quality and calibre of the vehicles that we put on the road are some of the best in the country. We are confident that the money that has been provided and allocated in draft at this point is sufficient to replace those vehicles that need replacing as part of our appliance replacement schedule and noting, too, that our fleet has gone through that mid-life safety systems retrofit process, and so the fleet is in a good position. Notwithstanding that, due to the nature of the work that the vehicles undertake there are always going to be unplanned issues that may arise, and those plans that we have do need to remain agile as things change and occur.

Mr PEDERICK: I refer to page 37, activity indicators. Does the CFS have a high turnover of volunteer members?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: The brief answer is no. The advice I have is that the CFS has had a plus or minus 2 per cent staffing change over a considerable period. I want to, though, for the assistance of members, discuss separations. To do that, it is important in context to address SAFECOM, perhaps the CFS and the SES as well, if the shadow minister would wish me to do that now. Otherwise, we can address the CFS standalone. But if it is a matter that the shadow minister would wish to explore across the different agencies—

Mr PEDERICK: Yes.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I understand that the answer from the shadow minister is yes.

Mr PEDERICK: Yes.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: Separations, of course, describe staff and volunteers who have left their individual agency due to resignation, retirement, expiration of contract, transfer to another agency or termination. Exit reasons for volunteers can be categorised into different categories, including change of address, lack of time because of a change in circumstances, for example, or for other personal reasons. Staff and volunteers do not always provide a reason for separation. In terms of the 2023-24 financial year staff separations for the emergency services sector, for SAFECOM they stand at 21; for the CFS, 31; for the SES, 16; and for the Metropolitan Fire Service, 65; for a total from the emergency services sector of 133.

In terms of the volunteers for the same period, the CFS recruited, I am advised, 1,220 volunteers, and 824 separated. The net gain there is approximately 396, for the benefit of members. Let me emphasise that: that is a net gain of 396. The State Emergency Service recruited, I am advised, 412. There were 182 separations, and the netting out there is approximately 230. Allow me just for a moment to confirm that figure.

I have taken additional advice. The State Emergency Service numbers have been particularly stable. I am informed that there may have been a gain or loss of only 10, so the variance over about a decade. It is very important for me to emphasise that the stability of our volunteer figures is something that is particularly significant when measured against the experience of other jurisdictions across Australia, and it is a matter that ought be emphasised.

The other matter that I should reflect on is that the data provided does not include casual employees employed for short periods, as you would expect, or where they are engaged for operational purposes—for example, during 2022-23 River Murray flood event. Recruitment processes are constantly underway, of course. The government level to fill vacancies arising from separations or to ensure that there are staff accepted into newly created roles. That might assist members present for the moment.

Mr PEDERICK: Thank you. I go to page 28, sub-program 1.2 and targets 2024-25, dot point 4. When was the CFS first alerted to issues with its disciplinary process?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I thank the shadow minister for the question. There have been concerns raised in relation to disciplinary processes by volunteers in different ways for some time. I think it is important to relay to members that in August 2023 an examination of disciplinary processes in the South Australian emergency services sector as a whole was announced by the government.

An emergency services misconduct case project review group has been established and is sponsored, as members may be aware, by the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment. The group is working to identify improvements in the timeliness of misconduct processes and, as members are aware, that process has reached the point at which consultation has commenced on certain new regulations as well certain policies that have been developed to provide a process that is faster, fairer and safer. That is the intention.

It is important as well, in the CFS context, for me to inform members that CFS has 20 volunteer members who are currently subject to an active regulation 21 disciplinary process; 19 of whom are suspended, with 15 relating to criminal offending external to CFS and five relating to behavioural misconduct such as bullying or financial impropriety. It is important for me to emphasise too that webinars with volunteers and staff on a proposed new process have been, and are still being, undertaken to obtain feedback. It is an important process, one that this government is very keen to receive feedback on, and that feedback process is underway.

Mr PEDERICK: I will go to the MFS workforce summary on page 57, Targets 2024-25, dot point 3. Is the direct entry framework being developed due to recruitment struggles here in South Australia?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I invite Chief Officer Jeff Swann to respond.

Mr SWANN: The MFS is not having any recruitment issues that we are concerned about; however, we are losing skilled workers to interstate jurisdictions through a lateral or direct entry program. There is a significant cost associated with training and upskilling someone to the level of a firefighter that we would need to undertake. To help mitigate some of those costs and to actually allow some of those skilled workers to come back to South Australia, we are implementing a direct entry or lateral entry framework. That is still in the final stages of consultation to actually mitigate that cost and to allow those skilled workers to come back to South Australia.

Mr PEDERICK: I will go to page 59, Targets 2024-25, dot point 3. This is to do with the MFS, obviously. When will the review of regional stations and staffing models commence?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: In answer to the shadow minister's question, the program has commenced.

Mr PEDERICK: It has commenced, thank you. I will go to SAFECOM, before I run out of time: page 73, sub-program 1.1, description/objective. Noting that SAFECOM is responsible for providing support to the operational agencies, how many people utilised SAFECOM's Stress Prevention and Management program in 2023-24?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: As members are aware, the mental health and wellbeing program provides CFS, SES and VMR staff, volunteers and their families with support, services and programs. There has been a surge in demand for support services after the 2019-20 bushfires. The program is also known as the Stress Prevention and Management (SPAM) program, to which the shadow minister referred, and includes the 24/7 SPAM helpline for personnel and volunteer-related challenges and issues.

The 2023-24 state budget provided additional funding and an increase of 3.5 full-time equivalent employees, bringing the dedicated team to 5.5 full-time employees, and recruiting has been finalised for two of the positions. The additional resources have enabled the program to develop a proactive and early interventionist strategy to increase education, training and promotion online and face to face. Answering the Call 2018 revealed that suicidal ideation was twice as prevalent amongst first responders, and the completion of the emergency services sector suicide prevention plan by December 2024 aims to reduce suicide related to stress and death by suicide.

In terms of members seeking to access the program, in the 2023-24 financial year, the employee assistance program (EAP) referrals have increased by approximately 17 per cent. This underscores a trend that the staff and volunteers are actively engaging in mental health literacy programs. They are reducing stigma, of course, with respect to seeking assistance for mental health support and also creating a culture in which seeking early help is encouraged and normalised.

Mr PEDERICK: I will go to page 73, targets 2024-25, dot point 4: what has prompted the need for SAFECOM to develop an emergency services volunteer sustainability strategy?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: SAFECOM is actively turning its mind to ensuring that there is a strategy for the retention of very skilled volunteers over time. We are mindful of changing demographics. We are mindful of the experience of similar agencies in other jurisdictions, and it is prudent and very useful for SAFECOM to be focused on these types of matters.

Mr PEDERICK: I will go to an SES volunteer marine rescue question, Budget Paper 1, Budget Overview, page 30. In relation to support for volunteer marine rescue associations, when will the current vessels at Wallaroo and Lonsdale be decommissioned, and when will the replacement vessels be operational?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I will seek some specific advice in relation to decommissioning and commissioning. I thank the shadow minister for the question; it is an important one. I am advised that through the program that is in place a vessel has been delivered every year, but in terms of the specific dates for decommissioning and commissioning, we will take that question on notice.

Mr PEDERICK: I will go back to page 93, Program 1: State Emergency Service, Highlights 2023-24, dot point 3. Has the state flood mitigation cache been fully established, and has it been utilised at all since its establishment?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: That is an excellent question. I will seek advice. The full cache is yet to be commissioned; however, there has been significant work towards building up available equipment and assets, and I understand certain of those available materials have been deployed.

Mr PEDERICK: And it is fully established?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: My advice is, not for the moment. I understand that considerable work has gone towards its establishment; however, it is not fully commissioned.

Mr PEDERICK: I go to page 74, subprogram 1.2, Highlights 2023-24 and, I think this is under the SAFECOM line, dot point 2. Was the pilot 30 Days 30 Ways campaign successful and, if so, will it be run again?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: The 30 Days 30 Ways campaign was piloted by SAFECOM throughout September 2023. The campaign presented an opportunity to enhance the resilience of the South Australian community to ensure preparedness for a multitude of emergencies and disasters. The social media-based campaign reached over 207,000 people in 2023, with a significant number of reactions, engagements and information-sharing. The campaign shared key messages from over 20 agencies, departments and organisations.

It is important for members to be aware that the program was first launched in 2010. It was initiated by the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency in Vancouver, Washington. It was later replicated in the United Kingdom and then piloted in South Australia in 2023. The campaign was funded via round one of the Disaster Risk Reduction Grants to the value of $180,000 and, when combined with SAFECOM in-kind co-contributions, the total campaign equated to $260,000.

Each day throughout September, a different key message and activity was shared to the community. That aimed to assist in preparing for disasters and emergencies and for the community to become more resilient. The campaign was promoted, as earlier indicated, through social media, through websites, media and through public events such as the Royal Adelaide Show. SAFECOM has applied for Disaster Ready Fund (DRF) funding round two and, if successful, this will provide funding to execute the campaign for three years from 2026.

Mr PEDERICK: I just want to acknowledge the work of the emergency services and what the chief officers and their staff do for this state and what they have done in preparation for estimates. Just from an opposition point of view, and especially in light of the recent floods, I appreciated the close collaboration between the emergency services. Thank you.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: Thank you. The shadow minister's comments are appreciated.

The CHAIR: The allotted time having expired, I declare the examination of the proposed payments for SAFECOM, Country Fire Service, the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service and the State Emergency Service complete. The further examination of the proposed payments for the Administered Items for the Department of Treasury and Finance are referred to Estimates Committee B. I thank the minister and his advisers.

Sitting suspended from 12:33 to 13:30.