POLICE ACADEMY

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Police. I understand, Madam Speaker, that our current Minister for Police is the first woman minister for police for South Australia.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

The Hon. S.W. KEY: Minister, can you inform the house about South Australia's most important police investment in 50 years?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:43): I thank the member for Ashford for her question and for her ongoing support of police and safer communities here in South Australia. Last week, I joined the Premier and the police commissioner to open the new $53.4 million Police Academy. It was pleasing to see the shadow minister and also the member for Finniss there, clearly supportive of the Police Academy that we have provided for our hardworking police.

The commissioner described in his speech the new centre for the education and professional development of South Australia's police as 'the single most important investment made in the South Australia Police in 50 years'.

The government is committed to providing our police with the best training to enable the best possible service for our community. The classrooms, auditorium, library, IT and communication technology, fitness centre, scenario village, firing range, obstacle course and other features provide our existing and future officers with state-of-the-art equipment and a purpose-built environment to learn and hone their skills to keep us safe.

This investment in policing forms part of the $100 million worth of new and upgraded police stations, a new police headquarters—$43 million worth—and training facilities delivered by this government since it came to office in 2002. This includes three police stations in the APY lands and more than $3 million for the new police station in Yalata that I opened on 3 February, along with the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Other new stations are Gawler, Mount Barker, Golden Grove, Roxby Downs and Christies Beach—just to name a few. New buildings have been delivered along with record numbers—

Ms Chapman: Found that report yet?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Sorry?

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: New buildings have been delivered along with record numbers of police, new equipment, tougher laws and better pay and conditions for our officers. Importantly, these investments are delivering real results in our community, with victim-reported crime down 37 per cent since we came into office.

It would appear this reduction in crime has had the endorsement of the Leader of the Opposition, who said on radio in January that, 'South Australia is probably the safest place in the world to live.' We really appreciate the endorsement of the Leader of the Opposition in that. Unfortunately, there have been some contrary views.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: We had the shadow minister for police describing Adelaide as Dodge City and claiming we needed stronger laws, at the same time as the shadow attorney-general was saying:

New laws will only ever reinforce well-established laws and policing practice. We need aggressive, targeted law enforcement against known criminals. We need to make use of existing laws including road traffic controls, public safety orders and financial reporting requirements to deliver convictions.

A clear swipe at our hardworking South Australian police.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: The Leader of the Opposition should spread the safety message to her colleagues who recently suggested the member for Adelaide should wear a flak jacket down O'Connell Street in a media stunt. Members opposite may recall the then Liberal government amended the Summary Offences Act, making it illegal to possess bullet-proof vests without the permission of the police commissioner or face two years in prison. I understand the suggestion was changed to dressing up the member for Adelaide in a hard hat and a hi-viz vest—very good protection if Chicken Licken comes warning the sky is falling.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs REDMOND: Point of order: I just don't understand how any of this irrelevant drivel from this minister could possibly be relevant.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, Leader of the Opposition. I would ask the minister to get back to the substance of the question. She is straying.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I was praising the Leader of the Opposition. I was praising her. While the member for Finniss was enjoying the opening of the new Police Academy, the former shadow police minister criticised the new academy by saying, 'Police training puts community at risk,' and claiming police may dangerously fire their guns in the suburbs. I can assure the house the government trains, employs and supports police—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —not cowboys. The Weatherill government is focused on empowering and supporting South Australian police. The Liberals, however, seem more focused on dressing like the Village People and drumming up panic in our streets.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!