Country Fire Service

Mr DULUK (Davenport) (14:54): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Can the minister confirm that new firefighting equipment and a compressed air foam tanker appliance for the Sturt CFS group will be funded this year as per the government's Davenport by-election promise?

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is warned a first time. Minister.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:55): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I would like to thank the member for his first question to me. I will confirm these details but I do recall just recently reading a brief which had been an ongoing issue. I think the Sturt group had raised this issue with me when I went to the 70^th anniversary of Coromandel Valley CFS, from memory, of an additional tanker because the group had actually raised some funds themselves; and would we at that time put in the balance of the money? At that time, the advice from my agency was it wasn't a priority and to allocate funds there would be—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Let me finish. Since that initial advice, there have been further discussions, as there always are between the agencies and the various brigades and groups, etc. I understand, but I will confirm the exact details, that we are now trialling a new type of tanker and we are putting some money into it. So the answer is: the tanker is on its way, subject to some conditions being met.

Mr Marshall: By Christmas.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: I can't remember the exact dates but I can confirm that those discussions have taken place.