Emergency Services

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:59): Supplementary, sir, to the same minister: does the minister support the amalgamation of the CFS and the SES?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:59): That proposition was put to me by a number of people actually on the ground—volunteers of both the SES and some CFS volunteers on the ground. Again, at the forum, I gave the assurance that that would be a decision made by those communities.

I have no intention as minister to require the merger of the SES or CFS on the ground. Again, that is made very clear in the discussion paper. What I am saying here is what I said across 16 forums across the state, where over 1,500 people attended. Members from your side of the chamber were there, so they can confirm what I said or didn't say.

I have also spoken to SAFECOM officers, CFS staff and MFS staff. The position is quite clearly that any merger or integration or otherwise on the ground would be a decision to be made by those local communities and not me because I have the utmost respect for the volunteers on the ground, and I am happy to make that a decision for them to make.