Estimates Vote

South Australia Police, $1,006,195,000

Administered Items for South Australia Police, $69,000

Minister:

Hon. J.K. Szakacs, Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services.

Departmental Advisers:

Mr G. Stevens, Commissioner of Police, South Australia Police.

Mr S. Johinke, Executive Director, Business Service, South Australia Police.

Mr B. Cagialis, Director of Finance and Procurement, South Australia Police.

Mr J. Stubing, Acting Superintendent, Commissioner's Support Branch, South Australia Police.

The CHAIR: Welcome to today's hearing for Estimates Committee B. I respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of this land upon which the committee meets today and pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to the elders both past and present.

The estimates committees are a relatively informal procedure and, as such, there is no need to stand to ask or answer questions. I understand that the minister and the lead speaker for the opposition have agreed on an approximate time for the consideration of proposed payments, which will facilitate a change of departmental advisers. Can the minister and the lead speaker for the opposition confirm that the timetable for today's proceedings previously distributed is accurate?

Mr TELFER: Yes, sir.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes.

The CHAIR: Changes to committee membership will be notified as they occur. Members should ensure the Chair is provided with a completed request to be discharged form. 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 8 September 2023.

I propose to allow both the minister and the lead speaker for the opposition to make opening statements of up to 10 minutes each, should they so wish. There will be a flexible approach to giving the call for asking questions. A member who is not on the committee may ask a question at the discretion of the Chair.

All questions are to be directed to the minister, not to 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 and referenced. Members unable to complete their questions during the proceedings may submit them as questions on notice for inclusion in the assembly Notice Paper.

I remind members that the rules of debate in the house apply in the committee. Consistent with the rules of the house, photography by members from the chamber floor is not permitted while the committee is sitting. Ministers and members may not table documents before the committee; however, documents can be supplied to the Chair for distribution.

The incorporation of material in Hansard is permitted on the same basis as applies in the house; that is, that it is purely statistical and limited to one page in length. The committee's examinations will be broadcast in the same manner as sittings of the house, through the IPTV system within Parliament House and online via the parliament website.

I now proceed to open the following lines for examination. The portfolio today is SAPOL. The minister appearing is the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. I declare the proposed payments open for examination. I call on the minister to make an opening statement, if he so desires.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Thank you, sir, and good morning. Thank you to members for your attendance this morning. Can I start by introducing those advisers that I have with me this morning for South Australia Police. I have Commissioner Grant Stevens; Steve Johinke, Executive Director, Business Service; Bill Cagialis, Director of Finance and Procurement; and sitting at the table behind me is Acting Superintendent Jake Stubing, Commissioner's Support Branch, SAPOL.

This state budget makes a significant investment in the South Australia Police, with a major focus on getting more staff on the frontline sooner to enhance public safety right across our communities. It builds on substantial investments made in the first Malinauskas government budget. These included $6.5 million to fund 1,500 new multipurpose load-bearing vests for frontline SAPOL officers.

Now we are making a further strategic commitment for 2023-24 and beyond through the forward estimates which will set our police force up strongly for the future. These measures are about finding smarter ways to recruit and train new police officers, at a time of low unemployment and high competition for skilled workers right across our country and economy and particularly across police forces in Australia.

The 2023-24 state budget expands further the number of sworn police security officers, who are now also able to perform additional duties and release police officers to spend their time on other tasks. It is important to note that this investment in sworn PSO numbers marks the first increase to sworn PSO numbers, or sworn numbers more broadly, since 2018. This is a government that is committed to more police for South Australia and one that is taking the action required to achieve the results on the frontline.

The budget provides $7 million in 2023-24, increasing to $25.3 million per annum indexed from 2026-27, for the recruitment of these sworn police security officers in the SAPOL district support section. This initiative will expand the PSO workforce by 69 FTEs in 2023-24, increasing to an additional 189 FTEs in 2024-25. The additional sworn PSOs will perform roles currently undertaken by sworn police in areas such as major event control, event security, police prison guard, transport, crime scene guard and hospital guard, allowing for the redirection of existing police officer positions to other priority frontline operations.

The state budget provides $12.2 million over three years from 2023-24 to accelerate cadet recruitment by increasing the number of courses delivered by the Police Academy, engaging in recruitment campaigns, improving vocational pathways and exploring cross-jurisdictional recruitment. This initiative will accelerate recruitment and training to address existing vacancies and attrition within SA Police.

The state budget also provides $2.7 million capital funding to enable the construction of the Indulkana police post—I know this is one that is very close to your heart, sir. The construction of police posts at Fregon, Indulkana and Pipalyatjara is part of a broader APY lands facility initiative that includes the multi-agency facility in Umuwa. This is a joint initiative between the SA government and the National Indigenous Australians Agency, with $4.3 million provided by the commonwealth government.

The state budget provides investing expenditure of $1.7 million over two years from 2023-24 and operating expenditure of $240,000 over four years from 2023-24 for the upgrade and maintenance of soft interview rooms, which support vulnerable witnesses. The state budget also provides $3.8 million per annum indexed from 2026-27 to establish a telephone resolution desk. Police officers performing this function will contact complainants by telephone and apply strategies to reduce SAPOL attendance at non-emergency incidents, without compromising public safety or service delivery standards. SAPOL will employ 31 administrative call takers to free up police officers to undertake the telephone resolution duties.

The budget provides $1.5 million per annum indexed from 2023-24 for additional SAPOL-led road safety initiatives in an effort to reduce serious injuries and fatalities in South Australia. The South Australian Road Safety Strategy to 2031 and the National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 provide future direction to achieve a reduction in road trauma on South Australian roads. The strategy sets targets of at least a 50 per cent reduction in lives lost and at least a 30 per cent reduction in serious injuries per capita on South Australian roads by 2030. SAPOL is committed to contributing to achieving these targets.

SAPOL's Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2026 identifies nine priority areas to assist in driving outcomes in support of achieving zero lives lost on our roads by 2050. SAPOL utilises evidence-based deployments on roads that pose the highest risk to the public and focuses on law enforcement of offences around speed, seatbelts, distractions (particularly improper and illegal use of mobile phones), road user impairment, drink driving, drug driving and fatigue, as well as recidivist dangerous road users.

The South Australia Police Road Safety Centre provides lifelong road safety education to all members of the community and continues to develop and provide targeted road safety information to vulnerable road users. To ensure road safety information is accessible and relevant to Aboriginal community members, road safety resources have been translated into appropriate languages such as Pitjantjatjara and Kaurna. This is important work as we seek to reduce the avoidable loss of life and serious injuries that we see on our roads and, tragically, at a much higher rate at the beginning of this year than it was in those previous years.

The budget also provides $5 million in 2026-27 towards the delivery of a new SAPOL communications centre. The new centre will ensure SAPOL can continue to respond and coordinate the responses to emergencies, ensuring the long-term safety of the South Australian community while also meeting critical infrastructure requirements. Under the Attorney-General's portfolio responsibilities, the budget has also allocated $348.9 million over four years from 2023-24 for new facilities and accommodation to support the operations of Forensic Science SA and the SAPOL Forensic Services Branch. This purpose-built facility will be equipped to ensure the continued delivery of expert scientific services to the justice system.

The government continues to work with SAPOL to relocate 15 separate business units from Thebarton barracks to make way for the new Women's and Children's Hospital. SAPOL is working closely with Renewal SA, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport and SA Health to ensure works on the new hospital will commence on schedule. SAPOL sees this as an opportunity to move its operations from an ageing site that no longer meets its business requirements. The existing barracks were constructed in 1917 and are no longer fit for purpose. Our government is committed to providing appropriate alternative accommodation.

SAPOL is working closely with community, government and relevant stakeholders to progress the recommendations from the national Closing the Gap agreement. In addition to business as usual activities, SAPOL has commenced a specific project to develop a First Nations strategy and action plan to further enhance our approach to Closing the Gap recommendations. Thank you, sir, and I am happy to take any questions.

The CHAIR: Do you have an opening statement, member for Flinders?

Mr TELFER: I have a brief one. Can I say thank you to the commissioner and the team for the session today. Obviously, keeping our community safe is an incredibly important task and the roles and responsibilities of officers are vast and broad and cover the whole of the state. I have the utmost respect for the work that the police do and I think this is a good opportunity for members in this place to be able to unpack a little bit about the detail of those operations.

As decision-makers, we certainly are separated from the actual operations of police but it is always important to make sure that decision-makers know the challenges that are faced, the legislation that may need to adapt to suit the need, and also to be making sure that we are fully informed when making decisions around community safety. On that, I am happy to proceed.

Just to start off, I am going to look at Budget Paper 4, Volume 3. I think most of the time we will be wandering around those areas from page 190 and just unpack a little bit, minister, the workforce aspects of the police force. Of the FTEs that are there indicated, the 2022-23 estimated result, how many of those FTEs were operational officers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Can I just confirm, sorry, member, what page we are on?

Mr TELFER: Page 190.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise the member that projected—and I appreciate we are pretty close to the end of the year, but we will do our best to project, in my answers, to the end of the financial year as opposed to a point in time today. As the member would be aware, the establishment numbers, being sworn police, are 4,684. We project that at the end of financial year 2022-23, that sworn FTE establishment will be 4,469.8 FTE.

Mr TELFER: At the end of—

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: End of financial year.

Mr TELFER: The financial year just gone?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No, at the end of this financial year.

Mr TELFER: Okay; 2023-24.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No, we are in the 2022-23 financial year now, so at the end of the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr TELFER: Minister, it is 3 July. We are in 2023-24.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Sorry—at the end of the 2022-23 financial year. My apologies. We will get there.

Mr TELFER: So at the end of 2022-23, say, three days ago—

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Say, three days ago—4,469.8 FTE. I can also advise that at the end of financial year 2022-23, there are 122 cadets above cap, so in addition to that there are 122 FTE cadets above cap. Those cadets are currently in training at the Police Academy. That 122 is substantially more than this time last year, I think. Last year, if we go back 12 months, it was about 52 or maybe 57. I am happy to correct that if it is wrong, but there are substantially more numbers of FTE in the Police Academy at this point in time. That has been a sustained effort throughout each month this year. That is 122 in addition to the FTE cap.

Mr TELFER: What about PSOs? How many of them are part of that FTE count on page 190?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: They are not part of the cap. They are not part of the sworn—

Mr TELFER: As a proportion of the FTE cap—

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Police security officers are not counted as part of those establishment numbers.

Mr TELFER: As part of the FTE numbers that are on page 190? That is what I am asking. How many PSOs were there at the end of the 2022-23 financial year, which has just finished?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We have a total number of police security officers of 254.2 FTE. I can advise further that they are broken down into 145.1 in PSSB branch and 109.1 across other duties.

Mr TELFER: Can I clarify, are the 122 cadets you mentioned earlier all police cadets, and are they all included within the total FTE as at 30 June?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that the total FTE of 5,920.1 does include a portion of cadets who are sworn in at six months of their training. The additional police cadets who are not yet at six months of their training are not included in those numbers, but the total number of 122 is included in the 5,920.1. For the sake of clarity, I would reaffirm that even though police cadets are sworn in as a matter of process under the Police Act at six months, they are not operational. They are not able to be deployed as sworn officers.

Mr TELFER: Minister, you just quoted the number 5920.1. Is that number the estimated FTE at the end of June?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that the 5,920.1 is higher than the estimated result, and that is primarily due to the fact that there are, in that 254 number that I gave you for PSOs, a number of police security officers who have been recruited and retained, utilising cash flow from unspent sworn salaries that will allow us to move this financial year into our budget commitment of 189 additional permanent sworn PSOs. That is why the 5,920 is higher than the estimated result for 2022-23.

Mr TELFER: So the money that has been saved because the police workforce is not as high as budgeted then gets spent on PSOs?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I would not characterise it as saved; we are certainly not handing it back to Treasury, despite I am sure the great protestations of some officials. The money that is unspent on salaries for sworn officers this year has been deployed in part to a number of other important areas, including what has already been an amplified recruitment task.

Coming in to government 12 months ago we advised that there were six cadet courses programmed per year. That has almost doubled in the last financial year and that has been able to be achieved in part because of the reduced expenditure in sworn salaries, and further in part that reduction in sworn salaries has been able to sustain an earlier recruitment and retention of sworn police security officers on the basis that we are able to confirm in this year's budget the permanent ongoing employment of 189 new sworn PSOs.

Mr TELFER: So the unspent funds you speak of obviously result from a shortfall in the sworn salaries. What is the current shortfall for officers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that as at 28 June 2023, as advised, the sworn FTE establishment under the cap is 4,684 and the actual was 4,469.8, so about 214.2—do not forget the 0.2. As I said, that does not include 122 cadets above cap at the Police Academy. Often it is somewhat cyclical in nature in respect of when those cadets will be graduating. If I go back 12 months, it was, as advised, about 50, and they were coming online pretty soon. The majority of the 122 are coming online in the next couple of months.

Mr TELFER: Do you want to equate the numbers? It is obviously quite complicated. How many of the FTEs were community constables?

Membership:

Mrs Pearce substituted for Ms Hutchesson.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We did not bring that information to the proceedings today.

Mr TELFER: I did not think it would be quite such a tough ask.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We want to get the number right for you.

Mr TELFER: Thank you.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: As you would be aware, the community constables include not only metropolitan-based community constables but APY community constables. I can advise that at the moment, and for a substantial number of years, there have been recruiting challenges with APY community constables. I note the presence of the former Minister for Police in estimates today. At my strong request we are doing everything we can to look at new ways of reducing barriers for the recruitment of APY community constables.

When I was on the APY lands myself, speaking to a number of the permanent police up there, as well as community constables, it became apparent that there were multiple challenges with recruitment, some of which were the complex family and community issues.

Mr TELFER: Indeed.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We were mindful that often good young, or not so young, men and women from the APY lands were, for complex family reasons, not putting their hand up and remained not putting their hand up. There are strategies in place that we are investigating as well, including whether there are any barriers whatsoever, within reason, that can be either removed or reduced in getting more First Nations APY community constables.

Mr TELFER: I will be interested in that number if and when it gets here.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can provide that there was an FTE cap of 46 community constables, and that is across Adelaide metropolitan operations and APY and regions. I will bring back the best part information for the member on notice, but the actual at April was 26, so a shortfall of 20 FTEs as at April. That shortfall, as I articulated, was largely because of the APY shortfall, which I think is about 13.

Mr TELFER: That is certainly quite a difference. How many of the FTE are administration?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Can I just clarify for the member: by administration do you mean non-sworn?

Mr TELFER: Of the FTE, perhaps a breakdown in administrative staff, non-sworn and sworn.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that the total FTE of 5,920 includes a component of sworn of 4,469.8, 122 cadets.

Mr TELFER: Yes, got that one.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I will just run through it. Then unsworn is 1,074.1. I understand the member's question regarding administrative, and across that unsworn staff there are, of course, many functions that are undertaken, not just administrative—I think far from administrative. We, of course, have our ICT experts and facilities experts. There are quite a number now of unsworn police prosecutors. There are additional resources that are being deployed into cyber. So I understand the tenor of the member's question regarding—

Mr TELFER: Perhaps, rather than me going through the knick-knacks, you could provide on notice a breakdown of the FTE for me?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can certainly provide to the best that we can within operational requirements the breakdown of unsworn. Maybe there will be some operational impediments to providing—

Mr TELFER: Specifics.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: —a line by line, but to the best that we can, within the absolute spirit of the question of the member, we will provide that.

Mr TELFER: How many FTEs are tasked with road safety, specifically?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Whilst my advisers are getting those specific numbers, I will take the member to page 199 of Budget Paper 4, Volume 3. In the reporting, pursuant to budget and targets, in 2022-23 we have 855.0 FTEs. The 2023-24 budget anticipates 877.1 FTEs.

I do note, though, that around reporting for budget and agency statements the broad number of police that are involved in 'road safety' is substantially more. For example, every police vehicle is a constant reminder and enforcement tool on our roads. It was only a couple of weeks ago that I was driving home from work one night and there was a nondescript white van that whacked its lights on and out got a wonderful member of SAPOL to enforce road safety, thankfully not to me. It is a reminder that that FTE is very likely not to be included in Road Safety Program 3 reporting, but that road safety is a critical first order of business for SAPOL.

Mr TELFER: The luxuries of having a driver. The 2022-23 budget specified 744 FTEs for road safety. The estimated result is another 111 more and they are adding another 22. Is this a specific strategic decision that has been made? It is quite a significant increase.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that, in respect of the reporting under the budget papers, there is not a specific allocation for an initiative or new program; it is a proportionate increase based on the total number of individuals in the system. For example, there is a proportionate increase because of the additional sworn police, security officers and some other FTEs. There are no specific programs that would indicate the additional FTEs.

Mr TELFER: It seems like more than proportional growth, compared to some of the numbers.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes. That is the advice that I have. If there is some further detail that I can provide to the member on notice I will, but as I said I do not want to give any indication though that it is 877 or 744 total FTE that are dedicated to road safety policing or road safety initiatives. It is—

Mr TELFER: Just what the budget papers say.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes.

Mr TELFER: That is all I am trying to reflect. It is a 111 increase. If there is not a strategic reason why it is a proportional change then I am just reflecting that, as a proportion of what I see in the budget numbers for FTEs, it is certainly an over-representation of that proportion. How many FTEs are still dedicated to the COVID-19 response?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that as at April 2023 SAPOL has incurred $7.3 million across the financial year 2022-23 in COVID-19 expenditure, relating to employee entitlements of $5 million and supplies and services of $2.3 million. Employee entitlements expenses primarily consisted of salaries for the sworn PSOs expansion initiative and sworn penalties and allowances, mainly VRSs, up to December 2022. Supplies and services expenses primarily consist of corporate accommodation expenditure of $1.3 million, which I can advise breaks down to mainly contract cleaning. There are incurred SES-CFS resources of $0.4 million and other supplies of services and external staffing of $0.4 million.

The SAPOL end of year forecast for COVID-19 expenditure is $3.5 million. I can advise that at the end of financial year 2022-23 there are no resources that remain deployed to COVID-19 functions, and as a result of the cessation of COVID-19 functions in SAPOL at the end of calendar year 2022 those existing PSOs, as part of the police security district support section, have been able to be, as I have advised earlier on, internally redirected, as part of remaining budget, towards the initiative of sworn PSOs.

Mr TELFER: How many FTEs are currently on parental leave?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We do not have a number that I can provide you today on those individuals who are on actual paid or unpaid parental leave, but I can provide that on notice.

Mr TELFER: Thank you.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Perhaps just to give some context to the broader question from the member, which I will provide a specific response on in respect of parental leave, flexible working arrangements commenced in May 2018: from May 2018 through to 30 April 2023 the flexible work team has received a total of 3,637 applications from police officers requesting various types of flexible working arrangements, and these generally are greater than 28 days.

Of those, I can advise that 63 per cent were from female police officers and 36 per cent were from male police officers. Of these applications, the following types of voluntary flexible work arrangements were requested: part-time work was requested in 1,711 applications; variation to start and finish time, 507 applications; shift changes, 403 applications; work from home (that do not include temporary work from home applications due to COVID-19) were 361; special leave without pay, 363; purchased leave, 170; compressed weeks, 87; and working remotely, 35.

Mr TELFER: So that is how many applications there have been in that five-year period. You have taken on notice how many current—

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes, on that specific parental leave, absolutely.

Mr TELFER: How many FTEs are currently on medical or stress leave?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Stress leave, do you mean unpaid leave or unfit for duty due to an accepted workers comp claim?

Mr TELFER: Are they split in your numbers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Just to be clear, stress leave is not a form of leave.

Mr TELFER: Medical leave then.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes. I will take that on notice and provide a specific number as of 30 June, particularly on the medical leave. Thank you for the clarification.

Mr TELFER: How many police stations are single-officer stations in the state?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: There are 126 total police stations. Across South Australia I think it is 104 in the regions. I will take on notice as of today the number of those stations that may be single police, simply because there are, at any given time, a number of positions that are subject to application processes or competitive processes to fill. So without wanting to give an incorrect figure of those 104 regional stations, I will take on notice as of today the number of those that are single stations.

Perhaps, if I can further assist the member, I can take on notice, if it would be helpful, the number of other positions within those. For example, there may be stations that at any given time have multiple police but there will be positions that are unfilled because of competitive application processes. I am happy to take that on notice as well and furnish the member with a fulsome answer.

Mr TELFER: Is that number of 104 regional stations mooted to change at all? Are there any potential closures?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Nothing to be advised of.

Mr TELFER: To unpack a little bit more about the recruitment aspect, which we started to in that FTE work, and noting also the workforce summary in Budget Paper 5, page 60, which specifies a few of the numbers in particular: what are SAPOL's order of recruitment priorities for the next 12 months and over the next three years?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Can I just seek some clarification? When you said order of priorities, do you mean in respect of diverse cohorts, multicultural groups, genders?

Mr TELFER: And also specific tasks and roles.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that the recruitment for police is never for specific tasks or roles. It is very generalist in nature, which is, of course, one of the reasons that the police cadet course is 10 months. Probationary constables graduate with an incredibly diverse range of skills and skill sets that allow them to be deployed across both regional and metropolitan operations, so it is—

Mr TELFER: Are there any other priorities that SAPOL have with the recruitment, especially the accelerated police recruitment?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: As I advised, there has not been and does not remain a priority of specific recruiting for sworn officers because each sworn officer is, by virtue of being sworn and graduating from the Police Academy, able to be deployed across a multitude of operations. They are, by the very nature of their training, able to be generalist and across all of the priority areas of SAPOL. That is within the existing framework.

I may be able to assume the member's interest around whether there are particular target cohorts or different target jurisdictions or different target individuals. Absolutely, within the dedicated $12 million in this year's state budget, there are a raft of opportunities that have been made available to South Australia Police in respect of their recruiting.

Right at the heart of that is a review of marketing program. I am sure that all of us in this room are somewhat tied to traditional media, but it is fair to say that younger people, of which I am, sadly, no longer one, are consuming news and media in different ways, and so a comprehensive review of marketing program and attraction of younger potential recruits is underway. That has been deployed across our paid spend this year.

The other focus areas of the $12.2 million for accelerated recruitment in this year's budget, of which the work is already underway, will enable an analysis and a comprehensive targeted package towards other jurisdictional recruitment. That involves jurisdictions, as I am advised to date, such as the United Kingdom, as well as, much closer to home, New Zealand. Of course, at any point in time, the attraction of police from other jurisdictions within Australia is front of mind but also a less binary consideration considering the immense challenges that most other jurisdictions are currently having with being so far under their own establishment numbers and having attrition running at a much higher rate than South Australia.

I am also pleased to advise that another target area for SAPOL, as the member has asked, is young people, and that is through the exploration and development of a youth partnership and youth pathways. SAPOL is working closely with TAFE and the Department for Education on schools-based pathways. We are a government that is dedicated heavily to promoting pathways for young students that do not involve tertiary studies. Right at the front of that are our new technical colleges and we hope and expect that the development of youth pathways through schools-based partnerships for SAPOL will enable those new groups, as asked by the member, to be a priority focus for SAPOL.

If I am also very frank and honest, there is no age group, no gender, no group that is not welcome and is not a target for SAPOL. In a vast number of conversations that I have with groups very close to my own heart—multicultural groups—we are working almost daily with opportunities to promote and tap into the immense trust in those multicultural and ethnic communities around promoting policing as a potential career pathway.

Mr TELFER: You referred to the attrition rate in your answer. What is the current attrition rate for this financial year, and how does that compare with the last five financial years, potentially?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am not certain I can give you the last five years. Perhaps if I can take any information for that on notice, but the current attrition rate—

Mr TELFER: I would appreciate that.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: If I can. The current separations through to 28 June are 248. That of course includes resignations and retirements as well. The attrition rate is 5.3 per cent, I am advised. As Minister for Emergency Services I will have to admit my own part to play in this. Across the emergency services sector I have recently employed three senior police in emergency services and emergency management roles.

Mr TELFER: That is only three of the 248; do not take too much responsibility.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: That is very kind of the member. I will not hang my head too low in shame, but I use it to indicate the fact that police are incredibly well trained and employable across a multitude of both private sector and public sector employers. In a tight job market I know that employers are desperately reaching out for former police. They are great employees and we would like to hold more of them.

Mr TELFER: Of the 248 total, how many have separated by age retirement, resignation before retirement age or termination due to discipline?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I will take those on notice, particularly the latter part.

Mr TELFER: Regarding the 248 total, I am interested in the differentiation between the recruits that have come in and the recruits that have gone out. For the last financial year, what is the number of recruits coming into the force?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Before I come to the member's question regarding those numbers, I am happy to provide numbers now for the former question that I undertook to break down for him. Projected out through to 2022-23, that breakdown of 248 is about 50 per cent retired—and that does not necessarily mean retired due to age, it is just retirement due to choice—and resigned is around 50 per cent as well. Of the remainder, I am advised that as of 30 April there are 14 in the other category, and that other category includes invalidity, deceased or dismissed. As for the member's—

Mr TELFER: Sorry, before you go on, regarding the invalidities, is there a fitness test for existing officers? Is that something that is periodic?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No, none of those separations are as a result of any failed periodic testing.

Mr TELFER: So there is not a periodic fitness test for existing officers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No. Regarding the second question from before, I can advise that 242 police have been recruited across that same period.

Mr TELFER: There were 248 leaving and 242 recruits and an existing shortfall of 214.2 from the previous answer. On page 60 of Budget Paper 5, where it talks about accelerated police recruitment, the full-time equivalents line there under accelerated police recruitment says 20. Of that $4.651 million in the 2023-24 budget, is it estimated that this will successfully recruit an additional 20 officers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No, that is not correct. With respect, I can advise what the 20 is. That is the 20 FTE equivalent—new FTE—that are directly related to the employment of 900 recruits over the next three years, so that is not 20 new recruits, that is—

Mr TELFER: That have been tasked with that role?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes. Those 20 involve civilian educators, FTEs that are involved in the administrative side of processing of applications. I think it does reflect and indicate the substantial nature of the commitment that the government has made in the accelerated recruitment of 900 cadets over the next three years. On top of our current cohort that do recruiting, we will need an extra 20 people just to get these 900 cadets through.

Mr TELFER: Over the next three years with the 900, what is the target breakdown for year one?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: It is about 300 across—

Mr TELFER: Even?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes. There is no specific target that I have asked of the police commissioner. I have given him licence in essence to recruit well and truly to front end, to back end—the preference is front of course. Early indications are that year one may be higher than 300, but at this early stage it is fair to say on average about 300 across the three years with some slight variation.

Mr TELFER: With 248 members retiring, or resigning early—with 50 per cent of that resigning before retirement age—are there any additional programs that SAPOL has initiated to retain police officers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can specifically answer the question in two parts. I can come to the retention side of the question second. The core number across the next three years does not include the very strong indication that cross-jurisdictional recruitment will be part of the package. As I announced earlier around the budget and as I advised the member, we have a multipronged approach to accelerated police recruitment, one of which is to supplement the core number of sworn police with cross-jurisdictional attraction. That is very much part of the plan that there will be in the coming months—

Mr TELFER: But existing?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes.

Mr TELFER: By retention?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I will come to that, but I do not want to give the member the indication that the only strategy in place is to recruit more brand-new cadets. There is also a funded strategy that will be announced with some more detail for cross-jurisdictional attraction of police. As to the retention side of the question, there is an ongoing project initiated by the police commissioner around retention. I am advised that there are senior police from senior ranks who have been taken offline to lead that project. It is a very important part of the equation, a very important piece of the puzzle. If I can be as frank with the member as I can, it is also a matter that has been discussed at the most recent national police ministers' meeting.

Attrition is a factor in policing that all jurisdictions have confronted. Of course, attrition has always been there, but increased attrition of the last number of years has been a factor that all police jurisdictions are encountering. It has also often been the case across South Australia and other jurisdictions that these are new matters that are being confronted with respect to an increased attrition over the last few years. The target of SAPOL is to keep attrition at a point which is as low as possible, recognising that attrition is always there. It is always a factor. There are some industries which have higher attrition than others. The public sector and police have always traditionally—

Mr TELFER: Is there a target number for police as far as attrition goes?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised that the forecasted number of separations, which is a reflection of attrition, is about 150 per year. This year has been higher. It was particularly high in the years post COVID as well. There are two distinct critical and important factors involved in increasing the number of police in South Australia. Of course, there is attracting more recruits, recruiting more police and funding SAPOL to do exactly that, and then there is the retention of police. The third part, of course, is new initiatives that this government has undertaken, such as the employment of 189 new sworn police security officers.

Mr TELFER: What is the attrition rate for police security officers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I will take that on notice. I will be able to give the member some further information. I am advised that a very substantial number of sworn police security officers will be transitioned into sworn SAPOL cadet recruiting. It is a great pathway. I will be able to provide the breakdown of both of those for the member.

Mrs PEARCE: I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, page 194. The Budget Measures Statement includes $12.2 million over three years to accelerate police recruitment through measures including increased cadet training. Can the minister provide more detail about how many cadets will be trained and how that will be achieved?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Can I thank the member for her question.

Mr TELFER: I can answer it: 900 over the next three years.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: That is right.

Mr TELFER: Easy answer.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: It might be some time before the member gets to answer those questions. I am happy to provide—

Mr TELFER: You have been talking about it for 15 minutes.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I particularly note the member's interest in this; we are going to be counting on members like the member for King to be working in their communities, as well as members from all across the state, in promoting and attaining our new recruits. In this year's state budget, we have a plan to train 900 new cadets over the next three years. It is not just a plan: it is funded, and it is the first time that we have had specific funding for this accelerated recruitment. That will result in successful training of roughly 300 cadets graduating a year, as I am advised, for the next three years.

To give some context, that enhanced number of 300 cadets is graduates in the coming three years, so 300 graduates per year for the next three years, which compares to only 126 cadets who graduated in the 2021-22 financial year. Since the election of our government, cadet graduations have already doubled. In the last 12 months, the number of cadet courses increased from six to 10 and produced, as I have already advised, 240 new graduates for police. Our government is determined to do more, and that is why in the coming 12 months SAPOL intends to run at least 12 cadet courses and increase the number of cadets in each course from 24 to 26 to deliver the total number of more than 300 graduates.

A recruitment acceleration initiative project team was formed within SAPOL in March 2023 to identify immediate changes that can be made to the recruitment process to attract more recruits, improve the recruitment process and achieve a higher success rate while longer term strategies are concurrently implemented. SAPOL is also committed to employing recruits from regional South Australia, and there will be a very strong emphasis over the next 12 to 18 months to attract more country recruits to join SAPOL, including consideration of regional incentives and support for living expenses. SAPOL is investigating outreach opportunities to increase access to regional assessment.

SAPOL is also progressing new marketing initiatives to promote SAPOL as an employer of choice and attract applications, including procurement of a new recruitment campaign to enhance marketing efforts. In addition to recruitment marketing, SAPOL is progressing numerous talent attraction initiatives through partnerships, increased community engagement and actions to improve candidate engagement from application through to selection. This includes:

the delivery of a mobile recruitment van for use at career expos and community engagement activities;

the establishment of a partnership with the Adelaide Footy League and Football South Australia to promote recruitment at football and soccer matches;

progress to finalising new partnerships with further sporting bodies and a broad community reach; and

progressing towards the delivery of a recruitment shopfront on the ground floor of our police headquarters.

I was also pleased that the emergency services match, hosted by the Adelaide Football Club on 10 June, served as an excellent opportunity to promote and attract new cadets. It was a new initiative of our government to partner with the Crows for a day at the footy, which paid tribute to our frontline staff and volunteers and included 3,000 free tickets made available to them to say thank you.

The day was also about encouraging people to think about a career in policing, as well as other services, and it is just one example, in addition to those that I have already mentioned, of the creative methods that are now being employed to raise awareness about career pathways that may be available. My message to any person who may be considering joining SAPOL is very clear: get involved and apply now. This is a rewarding career where you will be respected by our community, have incredible experiences and be able to access exceptional career development opportunities.

Those young people can also be confident that they have a government that is backing them with the support they need and putting in place plans for the future to support growing the number of men and women on our frontline.

Mr TELFER: Thank you, sir; 900, three years—good. Can I continue in the same direction I was wandering through. The 300 a year for the next three years—at what point will there be adequate policing to appropriately assess the district policing model? I know the commentary has been that with the resource challenge we have had we have not been able to appropriately assess the model. At what point do you envision that that recruitment process will be able to fully staff that model as it is being developed?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: There are significant operational matters that I can update the member on, particularly around the district policing model. In the last week or so there has been advice to the workforce of a number of matters on updating the district policing model, particularly around the imminent implementation of the extended hours roster. That matter has been some years in the making. I am advised that, notwithstanding previous consultation on the extended hours roster but the most recent round of extended hours roster consultation, there has been agreement with the workforce and that is rolling out on 13 July. We will see it being rolled out, a very important initiative well received by the workforce.

Mr TELFER: What will that achieve?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: First and foremost a massive improvement to work-life balance. Substantial external research has been undertaken in the development of the options for the extended hours roster. The member I am sure would know police personally in his life—I certainly do—and one thing that is very clear is that police rosters are tricky and have often and historically provided a difficulty for individuals and families to plan around.

The improvements that will be attained through the roster changes will be immediate in the sense that the rosters will become more linear and easier for families and individuals to plan around. Primarily they were also through the support of external health research and expert research, due to the impact that shift work has on individuals, not just in policing but in any workforce. It will have very substantial improvements to the wellbeing of those police who are on roster.

Keep in mind that there are many police across our system who are on day work and are not impacted by this, but those who are on shift work have already told me, loud and clear, and I am sure that in the police commissioner's very good work in this space they have told him as well, that they are eagerly awaiting the implementation of this roster change.

Mr TELFER: The government has a position of reducing the number of executive appointments across all departments. Are there positions within SAPOL—assistant commissioners, executive directors, directors, etc.—seen to be included in that?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that SAPOL has not received any advice on that. As for the efficiencies within all government agencies, I was very pleased to note that the small efficiency public sector wide that was instituted in the first Malinauskas budget did not include SAPOL frontline services or, in fact, any of my other frontline agencies. That was a very distinct difference from previous approaches of previous governments. As for the small number of executive efficiencies, I have not received advice that SAPOL have been asked to set a target.

Mr TELFER: Just unpacking a little bit—I do not want to pre-empt announcements about extended hours roster changes. You talked about the work-life balance benefits for police. Has the work been done, external or internal, about these changes and what they would mean for what we have seen with the increased demand and calls on police assistance from the public? From an external perspective, what are people going to see differently with the extended hours roster changes?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I might ask the police commissioner, he can provide some really specific details for the member's benefit regarding the benefits of the extended hours roster. He has been working on this for some years.

Mr TELFER: I would appreciate that.

Cmmr STEVENS: I could start by saying that historically, for as long as I have been a member of South Australia Police, we have been working what is regarded as the five-week roster, which I think has sufficient evidence to show that it does have an impact on an individual's wellbeing, and fatigue management is very difficult. The transition from the five-week roster to the extended hours roster commenced as an undertaking as part of our enterprise agreement that we would trial an extended hours roster. We did that for a period over 12 months in the western district, and the feedback from members working the roster was that it was exceptionally good in terms of being able to manage their own wellbeing and work-life balance.

However, there were some concerns highlighted regarding the organisation's ability to surge resources in for particular policing activities, and some members working the extended hours roster also raised concerns about the struggles of dealing with administrative tasks and fitting their compulsory training into their work weeks. On that basis, we contracted with a rostering expert and we also engaged with Flinders University to undertake some significant analysis on what our demand drivers were and peak periods of demand.

With that demand analysis done and provided to our rostering experts, we were able to come up with an alternative extended hours roster that met some core principles that we applied that has produced an outcome where we have a roster that about 93 per cent of the people working it have endorsed. The Police Association has also agreed to this roster being implemented and the commencement of that new extended hours roster will occur in the next week or so.

The implementation process for this new roster will include periodic reviews of the impact of that roster both on employee wellbeing and the impact it has on their ability to undertake their primary duties as well as the impact for the organisation in terms of our ability to meet ongoing demand. One of the key elements we provided, in terms of the criteria for a new roster, was that we had the capacity to surge resources as necessary so we can meet those demand issues that are impacting on SAPOL.

Mr TELFER: Is there an insight as to how regular those periodic reviews are going to be to assess the extended hours roster?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am happy to have the commissioner provide that advice.

Cmmr STEVENS: My understanding is that the extended hours roster is going to be reviewed on a six-monthly basis and after 14 months there will be a final review by both PASA and South Australia Police to determine whether any adjustments need to be made or to absolutely establish that as the permanent roster moving forward, so there will be significant ongoing review. There may be adjustments to the rostering arrangements during that review period if something appears that would require some change in the first instance.

Mr TELFER: That is the extended hours roster—the rostering within the district model as a whole—but I do not know if we got to an answer or not for the question I was asking before. At what point can we expect that there is going to be a review of the district model as a whole?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can provide some advice and then ask the commissioner to provide some more specific detail. The primary focus of our government is to expend the necessary capital money in the budget to recognise that the only way we can get to establishment numbers as quickly as we can is to accelerate recruitment—that is absolutely critical.

As I have already indicated to the committee, already since coming to government we have internally dedicated not only the planning but also the funding to almost double recruitment. We will be supporting that with the substantial package I already articulated to the committee across the next three years but also starting immediately with the investigation of additional resourcing.

As for some of the details I can advise from the most recent couple of weeks regarding the DPM, I can ask the commissioner to provide some more operational detail around that.

Cmmr STEVENS: Can I start by pointing out that, as I think you have indicated, the ability to test or evaluate the district policing model has been hampered by the impact of COVID-19 and that was then followed by the lag in recruiting in late 2021 that saw us in a situation where we are now trying to get back to our funded establishment.

The ability to properly evaluate the district policing model, stage 2 in particular, is reliant on us achieving our funded establishment. The accelerated recruitment program of 300 a year will certainly go a long way to getting back to our funded establishment as quickly as possible and it is at that point when we are operating with a full establishment that we will be able to commence a proper review of the DPM stage 2.

What I can say, though, is that, as a result of significant consultation with key members of our frontline workforce, we have been provided with substantial feedback in relation to some of the challenges experienced by our frontline staff in relation to the operation of the district policing model. It is worth acknowledging the frank and honest feedback we were provided by that part of our workforce.

As a result of that we have effectively established a district policing model stage 3 program where, as a result of that consultation, we have identified key areas where we believe we can make changes to the district policing model that will enhance its operations, make it more user-friendly for the people who are actively involved in the DPM and provide better outcomes for the community as well. Part of our organisational reform program is taking that feedback and operationalising those key opportunities for change to, as I say, effectively run a stage 3 for DPM as we work back towards achieving our establishment.

Mr TELFER: Is there a time line for when you envision you will achieve that establishment—e.g. the opportunity for the review to actually happen with the DPM?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Return to establishment is an absolutely high-order priority for SAPOL and is funded appropriately by the government. We are looking at opportunities to return to establishment as soon as possible, noting of course that it takes 10 months to train a police cadet. That is why across the next three years we are setting a funded target of 900 cadets through Fort Largs but recognising that there will be opportunities to inject further numbers into SAPOL through cross-jurisdictional recruitment and attraction.

Mr TELFER: I respect the 'as soon as possible'. I am trying to do some maths on the 10 months' training. With your target for 150 going out the back door, albeit that currently it is 248, would you envision that it will still be at least two years, if not more, before we get to that full establishment?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No. The advice I have had in respect of that internal target expectation is within the 2024-25 financial year. Thanks to the hard work and diligence of SAPOL, I can advise already a question I had undertaken on notice for the member. I am happy to provide now that there are 49 single-officer stations.

Mr TELFER: Out of 104. Thank you. Continuing on about the challenges that we have with resourcing at the moment and probably going through to the public safety aspect at page 193, at what point did the additional officers/surge within the CBD become a high priority?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that Operation Paragon was stood up in late 2022 and that within that there was the dedication of additional resources. This has been and remains a very high-order priority for SAPOL, as has been advised both in this house in response to questions from the member during question time but also through the very apparent, very substantial presence of police throughout the CBD.

Operation Paragon, of which this surge and supplementation is part, was stood up in late 2022. There has been, within that, periodic and sustained surging of resources. What we see at present is a more sustained surge of resourcing, but there have been multiple events occurring throughout that period, such as Gather Round and LIV and other incredibly successful major events that we have been able to attract here as a government that have seen other surges. But directly to the member's question, Paragon has been stood up since late 2022—I think December. If it is November, I will correct the record on notice.

Mr TELFER: Regarding the surge that you are referring to, my understanding of that from media reports and the like is that that surge is staffed with officers who are volunteering to do overtime, extra time; is that correct?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: That is correct. We do not have private police in South Australia, or anywhere in Australia for that matter.

Mr TELFER: Rather than being a permanent allocation, it is temporary based on volunteers from overtime and extended time?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: The existing permanent workforce in the eastern district, of which the CBD is part of that district, of course, is the permanent, as it is across the other districts in metropolitan Adelaide, but the surge is the operational mechanism by which SAPOL respond to matters of concern, matters of focus for them. The operational response that SAPOL has undertaken is the longstanding internal operational capability of uplift that is deployed across this operational surge and other operations across many years of experience.

Mr TELFER: Is that surge only provided from within the eastern district or from other districts?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: The surge itself is supported by multiple districts as well as specialist operational resources. The additional resources, directly to the member's question, are from other districts, but also from specific operational units outside of district, including the Mounted Operations Unit, the State Operations Support Branch, Traffic Services Branch, Operation Meld and the Licensing Enforcement Branch.

Mr TELFER: In recognising that it is a surge, it is additional strain on existing resources, at what point will that additional strain mean that there is going to be a detrimental affect to policing as a whole, or will the surge have to be eased back at a certain point and, if so, do you have a time frame for when you may need to reduce that surge that is happening at the moment with Operation Paragon?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that there is always dynamic risk assessment undertaken by SAPOL. As I said, whilst this is a current, very important, and very substantial increase to the visible presence, both to disrupt antisocial behaviour but also to enforce and take a zero tolerance approach to violence, in respect of a time frame or otherwise that the member seeks, I am not advised that there is an end date.

Mr TELFER: Does SAPOL do any statistical reporting that identifies antisocial and criminal behaviour?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can provide some advice to the member in respect of some statistics from the early days or short start to the operation. In respect of the reporting for non-criminal behaviour, that is often caught in a raft of data sets, including interactions, but as the member I am sure would understand, and has been articulated well, is that there are criminal behaviours and there are non-criminal behaviours, and antisocial behaviour is across both. It is entirely incorrect to characterise antisocial behaviour as always being of a non-criminal nature, but also you cannot, and nor should we, characterise that all antisocial behaviour does meet a criminal threshold.

I can advise that from 22 June to 26 June, directly relating to some of the metrics that the member asked for, there were 29 additional taskings to North Terrace and 11 arrests. There were seven further offences and 42 expiation notices issued. This is a good example where, obviously, expiation is not a criminal matter but often it is due to behaviours or actions that are contributing to antisocial behaviour. There were two persons removed from the area for their own welfare under the Public Intoxication Act, six expiation notices have been issued for the possession of cannabis, and a drug diversion for possession of a controlled substance.

Mr TELFER: They are good stats at a point in time, but do the police produce, periodically, these reports that do that comparative work and, if so, is it formalised within reports that the assessment can be appropriately made as to when a surge is necessary within the CBD? Currently, with the additional crime and antisocial behaviour, which is being reacted to with Operation Paragon—I am trying to get an insight into the decision-making behind it.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that there is not a formal reporting of Operation Paragon, but it is more appropriately informed by operational experience and intelligence as well. Further, SAPOL is working and has been working incredibly closely with other government agencies on a focus across the CBD to address, disrupt and respond to factors that are contributing to antisocial behaviour.

Mr TELFER: Is that on the safety and wellbeing task force; is that what you are referring to?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes, that is one of the mechanisms by which there is engagement, but of course there is constant operational engagement as well.

Mr TELFER: Who is the SAPOL rep on the safety and wellbeing task force? Is that the commissioner?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I will take it on notice, but I understand and am advised—and I will correct this if it is incorrect—that it is the officer in charge of eastern district, who of course is the officer in charge of the CBD area.

Mr TELFER: Can you take on notice who the other members of that task force are?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: That would be a question I believe would be better directed to DHS, which I think convene it—to Minister Cook. We are a participant in the task force, so I am not aware of other participants. We can certainly advise that police are members of it, but are not in a position to advise other members.

Mr TELFER: Say that again, please.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Members of SAPOL, of course, are on the task force, we are happy to advise as I have, but I am not in a position to advise the staff or employees of other agencies.

Mr TELFER: So you do not know the other members of the task force?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No, I am not the minister responsible for health employees or Department of Human Services employees. I take it in good spirit, the question from the member, but simply if you want to get an answer you would be best directing that towards the ministers responsible for their agencies.

Mr TELFER: Do you have an insight into what measures are being put in place in the CBD by the task force?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can and have advised that the work that SAPOL is undertaking—and I can advise broadly, as I already have, that the reason that SAPOL are engaged so wholeheartedly in the task force is that the response and planning is very much a whole-of-government matter of concern and priority but also matter for action. As for the work that other agencies are doing, again I would direct the member to perhaps the Minister for Human Services and the Minister for Health.

Mr TELFER: So DHS has representatives. Health does as well, does it?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: That is correct, yes.

Mr TELFER: Do you know what other agencies?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I understand Adelaide City Council do as well. As for those, for example, for the Department of Human Services and SA Health, they may have within their subordinate agencies some specific representation as well; for example, through Wellbeing SA or, more specifically, DASSA as well.

Mr TELFER: Alright, I will have to inquire next estimates with the minister for DHS. Can I go to—and I do not know whether you will push this one off as well—the relocation of the mounted operations, which there has been plenty of discussion around. There is reference to it on page 194 of Budget Paper 4, Volume 3. It is obviously something about which there has been much public discussion and, I am sure, discussion within police. I am trying to get my head around the process. Were the newly announced potential locations for the mounted operations part of the initial sites identified by SAPOL?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Can I just clarify that, so I can actually get the proper information for you? Is the member referring to the three current priority sites for exploration—

Mr TELFER: Yes.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: —and whether they were—

Mr TELFER: Part of the initial tranche of options that SAPOL considered.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that the initial advice received by SAPOL was that Park 21 was the preferred site for the relocation of the mounted operations. A suite of other sites were being considered at the time and continuing throughout that exploration, some more actively than others and—particularly with the nature of the market—some more dynamic than others, but I can advise that Park 21 was the preferred site that was identified by SAPOL.

Mr TELFER: By SAPOL, or was it told to SAPOL that was the preferred site? You just said something different.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Sorry, I can advise that was the advice provided to government by SAPOL. The work continued, and as a result of that ongoing work and exploration of options by SAPOL and the government, supported by agencies like Renewal SA and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, we as a government were able to, not too long ago, make more definitive recognition that two sites currently held by Adelaide Airport were high-order priorities. I can advise that the work is being undertaken there regarding supplementary and important things like soil testing and site fits, etc.

A third option at Gepps Cross, which is a government owned parcel of land, is being investigated concurrently with Adelaide Airport sites. I can advise that, whilst Gepps Cross is being investigated, it is very much a supplementary investigation to the two dedicated sites that are held by Adelaide Airport Limited.

Mr TELFER: In the initial investigation into potential sites, how many other sites, apart from Park 21, did SAPOL initially identify as potential sites?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Just so I can be very specific about the advice, that 'identification' was effectively a matter of a market search or a location framework that was identified by Renewal SA and provided on advice to SAPOL. That was some months ago, and I would not want to give any indication that it was static. It was a dynamic set of investigations that have been occurring. I know that, with some of the public interest in this relocation, mounted operations has sustained some of the most public interest, but there are 15 business units at Thebarton barracks, all of which are part of this ongoing dynamic assessment of availability of other appropriate sites.

Mr TELFER: At what stage was SAPOL advised by the government that their preferred location of Park 21 was not going to be the proposal that they would move forward with?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: That is a decision that was made in conjunction with multiple ministers and a matter that was considered by cabinet as well. I am not at liberty to disclose those cabinet deliberations.

Mr TELFER: No, I am asking when SAPOL found out that their preferred location was not going to be the one to be used.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I would be happy to provide some advice on notice, if we can try to track down a particular date or otherwise.

Mr TELFER: The site at the—

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Sorry, I just want to be at great lengths to advise the member in his inquiries that it was not a matter of silos within government agencies or the government undertaking this work. This has been a full force approach that has been collaboratively dealt with by SAPOL, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Renewal SA, the Treasury, the Premier and myself.

Mr TELFER: The staging location that has been mooted at the Supreme Court site: are there any heritage aspects to that site that need to be considered?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised that question was taken on notice at Budget and Finance. I am not advised that there is, but of course that investigation is underway. We have no advice or indication that there is, but I am happy to correct that on the record if there is anything further that I can add, but there is no advice whatsoever that there is any.

Mr TELFER: So SAPOL has not had any advice that there is a historic well on the site that is heritage?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Not that I am aware of but, again, that work is all dynamic so if that advice does come through or if there is anything that has potentially come through in the preceding days or weeks, I would be happy to provide the member with that.

Mr TELFER: That will be interesting. Obviously, there is the community discussion and I am sure the discussion within the bureaucracy is around the challenge of having a main site and then a staging site, the transition between the two, the time and distance between them. Do we have an insight into the amount of—I will use the terminology that I heard used by the acting commissioner—the planned, the unplanned and the emergency incidents that the mounted police operations react to? Is there a breakdown as far as the number of those different jurisdictions over the last three years, for instance, that we can have an insight into?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I do not have the information with respect to the breakdown specifically, other than I can note on advice that the vast majority of mounted operations are planned. Of course, that is a good thing, but all of our operational planning contingency from SAPOL is through multiple lenses. The staging area is a very important part of the planning for the placement of mounted operations. It is a very unique way to stage and deploy mounted operations across the country.

There are many other states that have their mounted operations units well and truly out of their core operating area—and by core operating area for South Australia I mean the CBD—so the staging area that will be deployed and constructed at that site, as referred to by the member earlier, will be really important to the unique contribution that mounted operations make to South Australia.

Mr TELFER: You speak about the vast majority being planned. I am not going to lock you into the answer, but are we talking about 90 per cent, 80 per cent, or 70 per cent?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I will take that on notice.

Mr TELFER: I would be interested because I think that is an area that the public in particular are uncertain about. They obviously see the mounted operations within the CBD and the challenges of that transition. How long does it take to prepare a horse once they are transported into the staging area? That is something that I am sure the public would be interested in.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: It sounds like the member is arguing to put it on Parklands.

Mr TELFER: I just want to make sure that the full information has been taken into account by decision-makers so that the public has full visibility.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised, as the member was asking that question, that about 85 per cent of the operations of the Mounted Operations Unit are within the CBD. As I previously advised, the vast majority of that 85 per cent are planned, but I will be able to break some of that down for the member if I can.

Mr TELFER: Continuing on the public safety aspect, from pages 193 and 194, there is Operation City Safe in Port Augusta. This is one that you as Chair might be interested in, sir. How many additional police officers have been assigned to Port Augusta?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I thank the member for his question, and I note the Chair's interest in this as well. On 25 May 2023, a specific operation near Port Augusta commenced after incidents of criminal trespass and theft of and from motor vehicles caused very reasonable concern. Local police have been assisted at various times during this operation by police officers from special areas, including the special task and response operations, more commonly known as the STAR Group; the Security Response Section; the State Operations Support Branch; the Mounted Operations Unit; the Dog Operations Unit; a volume crime team; and specialised areas of the state criminal intelligence investigation branch.

Operation Port Augusta City Safe commenced with dedicated resources focusing on the following: high-visibility policing; regular foot patrols; high-visibility bicycle patrol members; enforcement of the dry zone, and this includes the issuing of expiations for possess and consume liquor; the proactive enforcement of liquor licensing legislation and restrictions; the application for welfare barring orders where appropriate; utilising the Bail Act as a strategy to prevent the commissioning of further offending; and engagement with business owners, staff and patrons to inform and reassure the community. I can further advise the member that Operation City Safe has to date made 137 arrests and 41 reports, and eight Liquor Licensing Act barring orders have been issued.

Mr TELFER: Is Operation City Safe active, continuing, at the moment?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: As I advised earlier, with all operations it is dynamically assessed, but I have no advice that there is an end date or anything like that.

Mr TELFER: The additional resources that you say have been put in, the additional arrests that have been made—obviously, in the first days of that, there was quite a public discussion in the media about arrests that were made. There were 66 at that time. I am interested to have those additional numbers. Do we have an insight into the age demographic of those arrested? Is this a task force that is focused on youth or is it antisocial behaviour in general?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can provide the best advice that I can, but similar to before, if the member's questions relate to some specific measures or additional measures by agencies like DHS or SA Health, I would advise him to seek further details there. The operation itself is not focused on a particular age cohort—it is crime, it is offending, it is antisocial behaviour that may be committed by any group, be it youth or offenders of age.

Mr TELFER: Of the arrests that were made, is there a specific cohort that seem to be more represented than others?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: When you say more represented, do you mean—

Mr TELFER: A higher representation of, proportionally.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that, of the arrests, 97 were adults and 37 were youths. Of the 41 reports there were 25 adults and 16 youth, and of course the eight Liquor Licensing Act barring orders were all people 18 years or over.

Mr TELFER: Brilliant, thank you. Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, page 192, the APY Lands accommodation projects: the 2022-23 budget total project cost was $9 million, the Mid-Year Budget Review was about $10.5 million for 2022-23 and now the 2023-24 budget total project cost is $13.9 million, near on $14 million. Has this project been expanded in what it is trying to achieve, or is it purely around the cost dynamic and the existing projects already underway?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I do note the particular interest of the Chair in this one.

Mr TELFER: Indeed, I thought I would put in a couple for the Chair.

The CHAIR: Very much appreciated.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I can advise that some of the matters influencing the cost escalation as defined within the budget were particularly relating to COVID-19, and the scope and the intention to deliver that scope has been largely impacted due to building constraints and cost escalations. The approval for the construction of Fregon was provided in March 2020, noting that the amended design was required due to the change of the site. This change of site was required by the APY council back in 2021, which was some time ago. Completion was scheduled for June 2023. Unfortunately, I can advise the member that the builder withdrew from building Fregon but did commit to building the Umuwa facility.

The additional funding that the member referred to was pleasingly provided in the 2022-23 budget, as delivered by the Treasurer, but owing to delays in the building industry, industry-wide market increases and the ultimate withdrawal of the builder, SAPOL has been required to retender the project and seek this further funding of $2.9 million, but pleasingly to complete all three posts.

In April 2023 the builder was appointed to complete Kaltjiti and Pipalyatjara, with contract conditions to allow the Indulkana project, which has now been funded, and that, as I have advised and the member rightly points out, was the additional that was supported and completed, thanks to the additional $2.7 million that has been provided in the 2023-24 budget. It is a project that is very important to the government for the updating of these facilities. The building of these new facilities is not only critical to the SAPOL workforce up there but, primarily and acutely, to the wonderful community of APY.

Mr TELFER: So the difference between the $9 million from the 2022-23 budget and the near on $14 million from the 2023-24 budget is not an expansion of the task, it is purely around increase of costs and time frames?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes, that is correct. There is no additional scope. It is primarily down to the cancelling of the contract by the builder, into which we had a degree of fixed costs built, and the necessary retendering of that project has seen the escalation. We are seeing escalations right across the private sector and the public sector when it comes to build, and I think it is fair to say that the unique challenges of the geographic isolation of the APY lands add another complexity to those building costs.

Mr TELFER: But the estimated completion quarter has not changed; it is still the same as it was in the previous budget. The estimated completion quarter, June 2024, was what was within the budget papers from the previous year.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: The advice I have is that is still the expectation, yes.

Mr TELFER: So the challenges with the tenderer and the additional costs have not actually pushed the expected completion date out at all?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No, not as advised to me. I think it would be reasonable for this estimate to be made on an ongoing basis. The geographic isolation of the APY lands, and particularly with the extremities of which road and transport and workforce are required, can often mean that small factors can lead to more serious implications. We will happily take on notice any future updates for the member, but as we stand today I am advised that that is still on track.

Mr TELFER: What is the status of the regional policing model? Have there been any changes to that, or is it envisaged that there will be a review of regional policing?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised that there are no changes at this stage that I can provide to the member.

Mr TELFER: Has there been any indication as to any areas that need additional resourcing with regional policing?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes, as the community is growing that is an operational and dynamic assessment made by police. Suffice to say, our regional interface and peri-urban communities are growing and will continue to grow at significant pace with the very substantial investment into housing that this government is making—that is north and south of the city in that Gawler-Willaston area and also the Aldinga area. I am advised that is where future planning, albeit early stages, is being considered by SAPOL.

Mr TELFER: Is there any update on the work being done by the Premier's Taskforce, the policing review? Is there an insight into when there may be some public communication of what that task force is going to achieve?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: That report is being prepared by the chair of the Premier's Taskforce, Damien Walker, Chief Executive, Department of the Premier and Cabinet. I do not have advice other than in the not too distant future it will be provided to cabinet for consideration, but it pleases me greatly to advise that three matters that were of very substantial consideration and advice of the Premier's Taskforce were sworn police security officers and the strong support for the enhancement of their functions, as well as the ability and opportunity for the deployment of those sworn police security officers into the system. We have been able to back that in with an $82 million investment in this budget.

The other is the extended hours roster. When I came in as minister, and when the government came in, the extended hours roster had had substantial work undertaken but was, I think for all parties, including police, moving somewhat slowly, so it has been very pleasing to see that that has been able to be both finalised as well as implemented in the short period that we have been in.

Mr TELFER: Just a quick question on that: you talked about the enhancement of the function of PSOs. Has the government or SAPOL received any concerns from stakeholders about the enhancement of those powers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No, quite the contrary. It has been one that has been resoundingly supported through those negotiations. In fact, it was a matter that was contained within in the last enterprise agreement between the government and the Police Association.

The CHAIR: Thank you. The allotted time having expired, I declare the examination of the portfolio of SAPOL completed. The examination of the proposed payments for South Australia Police and the Administered Items for South Australia Police is adjourned until 2.15 today. Thank you to the officers and SA Police in general for all the work that you do and for all the work you do leading up to estimates.

Sitting suspended from 11:00 to 11:15