House of Assembly Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Police Protection Vests Police Protection Vests Mr ODENWALDER House of Assembly Elizabeth Police Protection Vests Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (15:11): That's just opened up a whole new lot of questions, sir. My question is indeed to the Minister for Police. Minister, can you confirm that stab-proof and ballistic vests will continue to be rolled out to front-line operational police, regardless of the $38 million cuts to the SAPOL budget? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Could you please repeat the question. Mr ODENWALDER House of Assembly Mr ODENWALDER: Yes. Can you confirm that stab-proof and ballistic vests will continue to be rolled out to operational police, regardless of the $38 million worth of cuts to the budget? The Hon. C.L. WINGARD House of Assembly Gibson Minister for Police Minister for Recreation The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:12): I thank the member for the question. We have made our election commitments very, very clear, and we are rolling out the trial of the stab-proof vests, as we have outlined previously—and I have done that a number of times in this chamber. I do note, though, that the shadow minister doesn't point out—he does always skip this little point whenever he brings up any efficiency dividends that have been placed on South Australia Police— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. C.L. WINGARD House of Assembly The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank you for your protection. The shadow minister does always avoid pointing out the fact that, under the previous government, there were $80 million worth of efficiencies imposed upon SAPOL. They never want to talk about that. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I'm listening. Members on my right, be quiet! The Hon. C.L. WINGARD House of Assembly The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: The shadow minister avoids that like the plague. Mr ODENWALDER House of Assembly Mr ODENWALDER: Point of order: this is debate. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Minister, there is a point of order from the member for Elizabeth for debate. I will allow some preamble, but then I expect the minister to get to the point pretty quickly. I ask members on my right to please be quiet so I can hear the minister's answer. The Hon. C.L. WINGARD House of Assembly The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: I am getting to the point of the question— The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Thank you. The Hon. C.L. WINGARD House of Assembly The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —which was about efficiency dividends and the cuts that the Labor government imposed on South Australia Police, totalling nearly $80 million. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! I am listening. The Hon. C.L. WINGARD House of Assembly The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: That is what they inflicted upon South Australia. What we are doing is getting on with fixing their mess. I think the Attorney outlined that very, very well in some of her answers earlier today. We will get on with that job. They created the mess; we will fix it. Ms Stinson House of Assembly Ms Stinson: Doesn't know the answer, doesn't know his brief. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Badcoe is warned. The member for Elizabeth has the call and then the member for King.