Emergency Services

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Can the minister please update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is keeping South Australians safe and strong by investing in our emergency services?

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (14:58): It is a real privilege to be the minister in this particular area, and I have enjoyed every second of it, let me say, and it has been a real privilege to be able to visit brigades in the member for Newland's electorate. Only recently, in fact, we visited the Tea Tree Gully CFS, and he is much adored in that brigade, let me tell you.

Whether it be Gladstone in the member for Stuart's electorate, Bridgewater in the member for Heysen's electorate, Tailem Bend in the member for Hammond's electorate, or even Penola in the beautiful South-East, it is a real privilege to have been able talk to many of these volunteers who work tirelessly giving their hard work and dedication all to keep South Australians safe. It has been an absolute privilege. That's why we as a government are working as hard as possible to make sure that we continue to give them the tools that they need to keep themselves and also South Australians safe.

We know that 2019-20 was one of the worst bushfire seasons on record, and that's why we responded with a $97.5 million package to address the Keelty review, including 25 new appliances, but also made sure that we continued the retrofit of CFS appliances with burnover protection systems. As well as that, we are doing things like upgrading our MFS fleet, with $11.5 million to deliver new state-of-the-art appliances to MFS stations right across the state. We have committed over $68 million in additional funding for the MFS since coming to government to make sure that MFS personnel have the capabilities they need.

Recently, we turned the first sod at the MFS station in Noarlunga, in the great south, which I know is very close to the hearts of the member for Reynell and the member for Kaurna. That new station is going to be an absolute cracker. It's going to deliver approximately 50 jobs for South Australians during construction and also provide better protection especially for the southern suburbs that are growing. Of course, we are investing over $9 million in that crucial infrastructure project.

By the end of 2022, a brand-new major emergency services hub will be fully operational for the southern suburbs. It will be capable of accommodating a major incident management team as well as a community engagement room—and I am sure it will be used by the local community—and also training facilities. Once that is complete, the personnel from Christie Downs Fire Station will transition to Noarlunga.

Then, of course, we have Project Renew. Project Renew has been utilised throughout the state. It was begun by my predecessor and has been continued by me. This government has altogether delivered 223 projects across 140 stations, delivering $5 million worth of upgrades, from bitumising to a lick of paint to better bathroom facilities. These have been really appreciated, and it has been a delight to be able to see the difference that it has made, improving the amenity of these stations for many of the brigades across the state.

Since we began expanding the program, there has also been $4 million as a result of the Keelty review's continued CFS Project Renewal and also expanding the program to the SES, which has its own $4 million funding program. We have also made sure that we continue to invest in our volunteers. The SES, in the most recent budget, was allocated funding to make sure that we continue to not only recruit but also retain our volunteers because we know in this state we depend heavily on our emergency services volunteers. We are coming into bushfire season and we are certainly going to need them during this season, and that's why we have to continue do everything we can to keep them safe.

Today, I spoke to the media about Operation Nomad. We know that we have 88 persons of interest out there, and SAPOL are going to be monitoring them over the bushfire season. I encourage the public if they do see anything suspicious, to please call 131 444 or call Crime Stoppers.