Country Fire Service Volunteers

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (17:37): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Why is the minister publicly claiming that he is not refusing to meet with the CFS Volunteers Association when, in a letter to the CFS Volunteers Association, he states that he will only meet with them at the first meeting of the reform committee on 23 February when only two of the CFSVA board will be present?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (17:37): I thank the honourable member for his question. It is just a disappointment he has had an interest in this matter in only recent times.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Sorry? No, to the reform process.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: He has only attended two meetings. Mr Speaker—

Members interjecting:

Dr McFETRIDGE: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett has a point of order.

Dr McFETRIDGE: The remarks by the minister I find personally insulting, as a life member of the CFS.

The SPEAKER: Could the member for Morphett tell me what the remarks were on which he relies?

Dr McFETRIDGE: The minister claimed that I had only taken a recent interest in matters concerning the CFS. As can be clearly seen by the house, I am wearing a 20-year medal and am a life member of the CFS. I know more about it—I've forgotten more about it than this lot will ever know.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Mr Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Before the minister continues: it's not unparliamentary, it's political argy-bargy—

Mr TARZIA: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Well, I will deal with this one first—which this house deals with all the time. So, if the member for Morphett wishes to make a personal explanation, at the end of the minster's answer he may do so, but taking a point of order was highly disorderly, of the kind that the member for Mackillop was rightly expelled from the house for on 18 November, having reviewed the Hansard. Minister.

Mr TARZIA: Sir, 127: it was a personal digression on the member for Morphett.

The SPEAKER: I will consider that point of order while the minister continues.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I acknowledge the member's contribution to the CFS as a volunteer over 20 years, you said, but I stand by the statement in terms of interest in this reform process, and that was the context in which I made the comment.

In the reform process, he has been, as far as I am aware—and I am happy to be corrected—at two meetings: one at Hahndorf, which he came along to and I appreciate his attendance. The other one was when the cameras turned up on the steps of Parliament House.

There have been a number of other meetings. I have had numerous meetings with the CFS Volunteers Association, as I have with the SES Volunteers' Association and a number of other parties. You have to remember that there are seven parties in this reform process. At the last meeting—during the process, we have had numerous discussions—we agreed on a process of how to advance the reform, so every party is in the picture. In fact, some members of the CFSVA have accused me of so-called 'other meetings' with others, and that was why we agreed as a group, and they were present, on the reform process.

The meeting on the 23^rd, for your information, is being held on a Monday at a time for which the delegates from the CFSVA asked, as it would suit their delegates' travelling times. So, the meeting is actually being held on a day, at a time, in a place to suit their delegates. You wouldn't know because you weren't at the last meeting; I was.

The SPEAKER: No, I wouldn't know, and I wasn't at the meeting.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Sorry, you are quite right, Mr Speaker. The member for Morphett wouldn't know this. As I have indicated to the member for Morphett, and have said publicly, the next meeting is on that date. I have also written to the CFS Volunteers Association to make it very clear that I am happy to meet them face to face to discuss any other issue, as we have done since the March election.

Whether it's the cancer legislation, the scheme to help farm fire units or any other matter, I am still happy to meet them face to face on every issue, but, in terms of the reform process, because there are seven parties involved, all should be around the table, particularly if they want me to change my opinion or hear something different. It's only fair to all the other six parties that we do that. Now, that's an open and transparent process, and I would adhere to it.

The SPEAKER: Before I go to grievances, I have looked at the member for Hartley's point of order; that is, a member may not digress from the subject matter of any question under discussion or make personal reflections on any other member. I uphold that point of order, and I call the minister to order.

Sitting extended beyond 18:00 on motion of Hon. J.J. Snelling.