Community Forums

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, are all members of parliament able to hold community forums at metropolitan fire stations? With your leave and that of the house, sir, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr ODENWALDER: The member for King held a crime forum at the Salisbury MFS command fire station on Saturday 27 February and will hold another forum on 9 March. Will the same access to MFS fire stations be made available to all other members of parliament?

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (15:03): I thank the member for Elizabeth for the question. The member for Elizabeth will note that I believe that, in recent times, the member for Mawson held a community forum. I believe a member of SAPOL was present at that forum.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: As I was saying, I think the member for Mawson held a community forum recently and there was a member of SAPOL there. I certainly didn't have a problem with that. I think it was a community forum. What I couldn't understand, sir—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: —is that given how long he had been in parliament when he took the Labor hacks that were there in the room why he could only get 30 people at the forum. That's what I couldn't understand personally.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: But from time to time—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: —as the minister I will get asked—

Ms Cook interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Lots.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left! The minister will not respond—

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: I'm sure you sent a few as well.

The SPEAKER: The minister will not respond to interjection. The minister has the call. He is entitled to be heard in silence.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: From time to time, my ministerial office might be asked if there are community forums in a member's electorate. I will certainly consider those and, if I think it's beneficial to the local community at the time, then it's not unusual for a member of SAPOL, for example, to be present, like at the member for Mawson's forum or—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: —in the member for King's electorate. For all I know, there might even be other requests that are made from Independents or other members of the house, and I as minister will certainly consider those and consider any protocols that exist.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: I know that the member for Elizabeth, for example, has attended stations from time to time. I know that that certainly exists. I have reiterated to the house that—

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Elizabeth!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: —from time to time these requests are made, and they are considered on a case-by-case basis.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Elizabeth, I call to order the member for Schubert. I warn for a second time the member for Chaffey. I warn for a second time the member for Cheltenham. I warn for a second time the member for Hurtle Vale. I call to order the member for Wright.