Country Fire Service

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (14:21): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Can the minister please update the house as to how the CFS are assisting local communities to prepare for the upcoming summer?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth and the member for Reynell are called to order.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:21): I thank the member for Newland for his question. It's good to see the member for Elizabeth back in the chamber. Normally, they usher him out when they have to ask important questions. Mr Speaker, I thank you very much and I thank the member for Newland as well—

Mr ODENWALDER: Point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth rose first. I'm going to hear the point of order from him.

Mr ODENWALDER: Point of order: it's unparliamentary to reflect on a member's presence within the chamber.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I ask the minister to respectfully withdraw that last statement, please.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: I withdraw that last statement.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. Let's get on with it.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: I would like to thank the member for Newland for his question. It is a very important question. It has been widely reported that we are in for another hot, scorching summer here in South Australia. The CFS are proactively preparing for what is to come, with a number of fire danger seasons brought forward across the state, as the drier than average winter and the increased temperatures through spring threaten us with pretty tough conditions in the weeks and months ahead.

Since coming into this role as Minister for Emergency Services in March, I have been blown away by the dedication and effort displayed by the emergency services personnel in our state I have been lucky enough to meet—in particular, the volunteers of the State Emergency Service and the Country Fire Service. These services wouldn't be possible without CFS and SES volunteers taking time away from their families and their primary jobs to keep South Australians safe.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the emergency services personnel for all the work they do, especially our volunteers. I particularly look forward to attending a reception at Government House this afternoon to acknowledge the CFS and SES volunteers. When I did raise this concept with His Excellency a number of months ago, very early in coming into this role, and said what wonderful work the volunteers were doing, he was very quick to jump on board the idea of having this function in Government House and thanking the people for the great work they do, so I commend him for acknowledging what these people do by putting back into the community.

I know the CFS and SES have almost become a part of the South Australian fabric and we want to make sure that the volunteers who are involved in these two emergency service sectors know that they are greatly appreciated. I note that this sort of thing hasn't been done before—if it has, it was a long, long time ago—so I know the volunteers are very grateful.

The CFS currently have 19 upcoming community events on the calendar, with upcoming open days at One Tree Hill and Mylor. I highly recommend that people get along to those just to engage with their local community and see what these people are doing to keep us safe. There are also fire blitz presentations at Littlehampton, Torrens Park, Hahndorf and Mitcham. I thoroughly enjoyed attending the Lenswood CFS open day last Monday. Cam Stafford is one of the local legends of that area, and he was very proud to show us the history of the CFS there and some of the pictures of the old blitz vehicles from way back when. He spoke on the microphone and entertained the troops, and it was great to catch up with Cam.

Following on from that, we went to a demonstration by the CFS brigade at Dalkeith, where brigade captain Clint Marsh runs a very, very tight ship. There are a number of graduates coming through who are about to be appointed as official CFS volunteers, and they were over the moon to be part of this brigade. They really felt part of the community and were looking to give back, and we commend them for that.

As you would also be aware, Mr Speaker, the Marshall Liberal government is committed to the Country Fire Service. That's why I have said in this chamber before, and am happy to say it again, that we have committed $5 million to the CFS to help upgrade some of the CFS brigades right around the state because they have been left to go into disrepair. We put Project Renew in place, and there are a number of upgrades that are happening, and one of those is happening at the Tea Tree Gully brigade, in the member for Newland's electorate. There they are spending nearly $10,000 upgrading the floor. It's never been done before; it's been let go into a state of disrepair.

There will be plenty more happening. I was with the member for Heysen when we were having a CFS emergency services forum up there, and Sarah Harris from the CFS came and spoke. The big message is to make sure that you have a bushfire survival plan in place. If you want more information, go to the CFS website and make sure you are bushfire ready for the season ahead.