South Australia Police

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:17): I rise today to speak about the police graduation ceremony for Course 30 that has just completed. I congratulate all those who have signed on to be in our police force; that is, the 23 graduating cadets who are now probationary constables and are going to work tirelessly hard to help protect South Australia.

I am not sure whether I should thank the member for Elizabeth, who agreed to pair and come along to the ceremony but, at the last minute, he decided not to attend the graduation ceremony, which is disappointing. I will talk more about that in a second. His absence was noted by people at the ceremony. However, I would like to thank the member for Mount Gambier, who covered that pair for me so that I could attend that graduation ceremony. It is disappointing when someone says they are going to go to an event and they then withdraw at the last minute and fail to attend. I can understand the frustration of the people who were organising the event at being let down by that. Some might say that it was very slippery and very tricky, but that is the wont of those on the other side of the chamber.

On my way back into the chamber for the last 34 or 35 minutes of question time, I heard the questions that were being asked by the member for Elizabeth and others. I note that every question was actually meant for the Attorney-General. They were all questions that related to the Attorney-General and, as always, the Attorney-General answered them impeccably. What the Attorney-General did explain—and the member for Lee had no idea; you think he would be better, but he is not—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: Do you even know what happens in your portfolio?

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: Is that why you don't turn up—

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Lee!

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: —because you don't have a grasp of your portfolio?

The SPEAKER: Member for Lee, please!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: It is disappointing that the member for Lee struggles with this concept—

The SPEAKER: I know that the member for Lee would like to speak shortly. I would like to hear the member for Lee speak shortly.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: I commend the Attorney-General for making it abundantly clear that, when there is a case before a court, you do not want to prejudice that case. The Attorney-General made that point over and over again, and it is a point that I think anyone would have made in the same situation. The point she made was spot on, and she made it more than once, but those on the other side did not think they would heed the advice of the Attorney-General and the way she answered the question. I commend her for that, and it is how I think anyone would have answered the questions that were asked today.

I go back to the graduation of the 23 cadets and say how wonderful it was. As police minister, I am very proud to attend these graduation ceremonies and I am very proud to do so in a bipartisan manner with the shadow minister. Whenever he says he wants to attend, I will take him at his word, and I hope he does attend. I know he has in the past, but he obviously chose not to today as a political stunt and political circus.

Again, we should not be surprised because that is the way those on the other side operate. Do we genuinely go out together and thank these graduates, who are going to be part of our police force and protect South Australians, for their great work? They are a diverse range of people who are going to head out into the community. In the wake of what we saw in Bourke Street in Melbourne, we know that these people are going to a very tough job. It is a very challenging job, and one that all South Australians should be grateful for.

I am very honoured to hold this position, as, I would presume, is the shadow minister. If we have the opportunity to say thank you to those who are putting their lives on the line, we should dip our lid to them. I make no apologies for going to do that because that is what this job is about. Those on the other side wanted to play tricks and change their mind at the last minute. They thought they were being clever. I say to you, Mr Speaker: that is actually being disrespectful. It is disrespectful to the people who have undergone 12 months of hard training.

Today, they were graduating as police officers in front of their families and friends, ready to go out and serve our state. They should be duly recognised and acknowledged. Again, I say that I am very proud to attend those services and say to those people, 'Thank you very much.' In fact, I was lucky enough to present an award to Madison Davies, who was awarded the Minister for Police Excellence in Communication Award, and Jayden Cross, who was awarded the Commissioner of Police Leadership Award. In fact, Madison Davies also picked up the Police Association of South Australia Academic Award.

To all the award winners and graduates, again I say thank you. To our entire police force, again I say thank you. This is not something we should play games with, yet those on the other side continue to do so, and I do not think anyone in this place is surprised—

Time expired.