Sturt State Emergency Service

Mr DULUK (Waite) (15:20): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Can the minister please update the house on when the Sturt SES group will receive new fleet vehicles in line with the SES vehicle replacement program? Sir, with your leave and that of the house, I will further explain.

Leave granted.

Mr DULUK: Sturt SES have brought to my attention that several of their older vehicles are not fit for purpose. When I visited the group last week I experienced this firsthand, with two of the vehicles struggling to do 30 kilometres up Ackland Hill Road. When is the group due to receive new small and heavy vehicles to help them on days like today and when assisting our community in their 500 callouts each and every year?

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (15:21): I thank the member for Waite for the question. It is certainly something I am more than happy to look into for the member. As we know, our emergency services personnel do a magnificent job keeping us safe right across the state. Obviously, we have just got through the most recent bushfire season, but of course our SES, like all the other services, work throughout the year. At this time of year, as we start moving into the wetter weather, we have floods, and of course there are car accidents right throughout the year. As well as that, the SES perform a number of searches right across the board.

I recently went out to the Sturt State Emergency Service (I think it is Matthew Burnett who is the head out there) and it was an exceptional opportunity to go out and talk to the unit and thank the volunteers for their magnificent work. By the way, last Wednesday was actually Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW Day). Believe it or not—and I'm sure the member for Waite did this as well—we donned orange clothing for the day. You might not think, sir, that I would wear the colour orange, but I did for the SES in support of a great cause—hat, socks, tie, you get the gist.

In response to the member's question specifically about the fleet program, as the member alluded to, the SES do have a replacement program. I can advise the house that, in terms of the SES across the board, in 2021-22 the following appliances will be delivered into service for the SES: five road crash and general rescue trucks at about $200,000 per truck, six quick response vehicles (QRVs) at about $75,000 per vehicle, and five storm trailers (I believe we've got some of those in the beautiful Adelaide Hills too) at about $35,000 per trailer.

My advice is that quick response vehicles and storm trailers will be delivered in mid-2021, and the road crash and general rescue trucks will be delivered by the end of 2021. However, in response to the member's question about that specific group, what I will do is make some inquiries. When I have done that I will come back to the member.