Country Fire Service

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:51): Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members will cease interjecting, please, or they will be departing the chamber. Member for Hammond.

Mr PEDERICK: Can the minister update the house on the Marshall government's $5 million Project Renew for CFS station upgrades?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:51): I thank the honourable member for his question. I know he is very interested in this and he has a great commitment to the emergency services in his community. It is with pleasure that I can update the house on the Marshall Liberal government's Project Renew, which is a $5 million commitment.

We are investing in our CFS stations across South Australia with dedicated funding for station facility upgrades and maintenance, making our stations safer. We know over the past decade or more they have been left to deteriorate and we want to make a difference. The CFS has established a project steering committee to take the lead on assessing, approving and managing the maintenance of these projects.

There were 425 CFS brigades approached to submit projects. As suggestions came from across South Australia, they were submitted to the steering committee for assessment and approval. The steering committee met in August and assessed the round 1 proposals. I am pleased to inform the house that 125 projects have been approved, with an approximate value of $2.5 million to be spent in this financial year.

We have a number of projects hitting the ground already, and the member for Hammond will be suitably pleased to hear that many will impact his local community. These include upgrades at Geranium, Callington, Pinnaroo and also the Murray Bridge stations, as well as over $20,000 for the Mypolonga brigade, enabling them to fix their roller door and complete some external painting on their operations.

Project Renew is being delivered concurrently with the SACFS annual capital program. Necessary approvals have already been achieved for the capital program and building is prescheduled with supplies. During the 2018-19 financial year, there are six planned new stations, and they have been approved to be built from capital funding in addition to Project Renew.

Again, for the member for Hammond, the six new stations are expected to be delivered at Piccadilly, Tailem Bend, which he will be very happy about, Tarlee, Mount Burr, Woolumbool and western districts on Kangaroo Island, which will keep the Attorney happy as well.

An honourable member: Warrnambool?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Woolumbool. You wouldn't know where that is in the country; you guys probably haven't been to the regions. You should go and check it out.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Kaurna is warned.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: It's amazing, 16 years—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Kaurna is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —and they don't know where the regions are. We start looking after the regions and they start making some noise. It's fantastic.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond will depart for half an hour.

The honourable member for Hammond having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: I can say that the member for Flinders will be pleased to know that the Cleve brigade will receive funding which will enable them to replace their electrical board and install safety switches—

The Hon. V.A. Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier will not interject.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —and the Wudinna brigade will receive $8,000 to install a new generator that has been kindly donated by the Wudinna council.

Ms Hildyard interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Reynell can join the member for Hammond. Half an hour, thank you.

The honourable member for Reynell having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Great news for the member for Flinders. Sad to see the member for Reynell go again, two days in a row. That is disappointing for her. Many of the additional projects submitted by brigades require complex management as they involve—

The Hon. S.S. Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier will not interject.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —building extensions, work, health and safety components—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —asbestos removal and council approval. The Marshall Liberal government is proud to be investing in our Country Fire Service, improving safety for our volunteers and upgrading stations in which they operate. Many of the CFS stations have been left to deteriorate under the previous Labor government, with basic improvements lagging behind.

The $5 million Project Renew is in addition to the additional resources the Marshall Liberal government is investing in our CFS aerial capabilities this summer, resulting in an unprecedented level of aerial surveillance, which is fantastic. Of course, we have gone from three zones to four. The West Coast, now the Mid North at Hoyleton, the Adelaide Hills and the South-East will be the basis for that aerial coverage. That is wonderful news for the good people and the volunteers of the CFS.

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth is warned for a second and final time. The member for West Torrens has the call.