House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Volunteer Firefighters, Workers Compensation Volunteer Firefighters, Workers Compensation Mr GRIFFITHS House of Assembly Goyder Volunteer Firefighters, Workers Compensation Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Regional Development. With the additional $90 million that the government is raising from increases to the emergency services levy, does the minister support using part of this new revenue to provide equal cancer compensation to volunteer firefighters? The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly West Torrens Minister for Finance Minister for State Development Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Minister for Small Business Volunteer Firefighters, Workers Compensation The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:53): The emergency services levy is within my purview, and questions about it should be forwarded to the Treasurer. Members interjecting: The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The Premier is allowed to answer any question he likes—he actually runs the government. Mr Tarzia interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Could I remind the member for Hartley of what I cautioned him about not five minutes ago. Treasurer. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The emergency services levy covers a spectrum of services as outlined in the emergency services act. If the government wishes to add to that, we will do so through the parliament or by regulation. The government at this stage is not planning any changes. If we were to make changes, there is a process to go through that includes the Economic and Finance Committee, and that includes processes of parliament. There are safeguards that were established when the levy was first introduced by the then Olsen government by amendments that were moved by the parliament to ensure that changes made to emergency services are safeguarded. So if the government does have plans to do any other work, obviously the diligent hardworking members of the Economic and Finance Committee, who read their papers thoroughly every time they get them, will be the first to know. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Supplementary, member for Hammond.