Police Constable Development Program

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:00): Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Can the minister update the house on the South Australia Police Constable Development Program?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:00): I would like to thank the member for Flinders for his wonderful and tireless effort on the West Coast. He really is an outstanding regional member. Again, when he is in town, he does marvellous work as well in this place. I do thank him for all his efforts. It is just an absolute pleasure to work with him.

Very recently, it was an absolute privilege of mine to witness 43 new police recruit graduates at the Police Academy at Fort Largs graduate. It was a great course. They were courses 27 and 26 respectively. To be there and be a part of it was absolutely outstanding. There was a very special moment for me because a young lad I had a bit to do within the local community, a volunteer, was one of the graduates at this academy course. To see all the graduates come through in front of their families and friends was absolutely outstanding, but this one young person in particular was absolutely over the moon.

He actually came to me a few years ago after applying to go to the academy. He didn't get in. He got knocked back the first time, and he was a little bit jaded by that probably. It dented his confidence a little bit, but with great admiration and respect he took it on the chin. Part of the advice he was given was to get into the community and give back, give back to the community, show some leadership there. He came to me—and I was coaching a sports team at the time–and he said, 'Can I be involved? Can I help out? I want to give something back to the community.' And he did, and, I tell you what, he did not miss a beat.

He was fantastic with the lads we were coaching at the time. It was an under 14 team. He was a few years older, and he really engaged with them wonderfully well. He put his heart and soul into the footy club. Right through the club, it was noticed the leadership role this young lad took on. He would come to games, he would come to training, he was never late. Rain, hail or shine, he would be there. He went and joined the Army Reserves as well and, again, showed great leadership there.

He was determined and focused to get accepted into the academy and, to his credit, he did. To be there as the minister for my first ceremony—I know those on the other side have been there and I know these are great ceremonies, and previous ministers for police have been there, and I have been there in opposition as well—and to see them pass and to see them graduate was absolutely wonderful. This young lad in particular was just, as I said, over the moon. His name is David Angley. I do want to put his name on the record here in this place because to do what he did I think shows great leadership and great determination. He is really an example to our community—me specifically because he lives in my local area—but to all young people right across this state.

We have a great state. We have great people in this state. Unfortunately, they have been let down over the last 16 years by a very poor government. We have the plans in place to turn South Australia around. Attitudes and young people like this, and keeping them here in South Australia, are the key. Keeping young people in our state with this sort of get up and go is exactly what we need.

To David Angley and all the other graduates of the Police Academy course, I commend them and I thank them for their service. They are putting themselves on the line to keep our state safe, as all the emergency services do. I take great responsibility in that and do all I can to make sure that we keep them safe because they do an outstanding job. Day in and day out, they go to work and, on a lot of occasions, they put their lives on the line. So I do want to commend David on this occasion for graduating from the Police Academy and all the graduates who got through. It is outstanding, and we thank them for their service on behalf of South Australia.