Police Numbers

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:35): A supplementary, sir, in recognition of that answer: which area of policing is currently carrying these vacancies, as mentioned by the minister?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (14:35): The question itself—which I am happy to try my best to answer—is particularly ill informed and not understanding policing and operational policing, as the police commissioner is charged to do under our legislation. However, it is safe to say that vacancies occur right across the system, and they are occurring right across the system in every jurisdiction.

I am not sure if the member caught 7.30 last night. I know that the Leader of the Opposition doesn't read the newspaper, but he may watch national current affairs. The truth is that there is currently right across the country a—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: So withering you should talk to The Advertiser editor about it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister has the call.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am happy to answer the question as best I can, or we can continue with the ill-informed, puerile interjections from the other side. There are currently, for example, in the member's own electorate, a number of vacancies. These vacancies aren't because of shortages in recruitment but are in fact because there is an active selection process currently afoot.

For example, I am advised that in a number of smaller regional police stations as we speak there are a couple of live selection processes that will be filled imminently. On the other hand, of course, with the recruitment challenges SAPOL has been having now for a number of years—with absolutely zero attention by the former government—there have been vacancies that have been carried.

The good news, despite what those on the other side would pretend, is that I can advise that in the last 12 months since coming to government there have been over 2,000 applications to join SAPOL. People are deciding to join en masse. The recruitment efforts have been excellent, they have been sustained and they have been critical in the shortages that SAPOL found themselves with when we came into government.

As have I said, I have done my best to answer the member's question, but it is incredibly difficult to answer a question that is so ill informed.