Northern Territory Deployment, Country Fire Service

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (14:08): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: The Northern Territory emergency services are currently battling a bushfire in the Barkly region that is more than 9,300 square kilometres in size and is at risk of spreading to the town of Tennant Creek. Large fires are not uncommon in the Northern Territory, although a fire of such size and ferocity at this time of the year is confronting and profound, and I want to take this opportunity to let every individual affected know that South Australia's thoughts are with them.

The Northern Territory and South Australian governments have a close relationship and a shared experience of unique remote central communities and station country. Due to the scale of this bushfire, Bushfires NT have requested additional capacity from the South Australian Country Fire Service to assist and, as per their well-deserved reputation, the CFS is stepping up to this task.

Tomorrow, a team of 20 South Australian CFS staff and volunteers will travel to Tennant Creek, including two strike teams, a field liaison officer and a jurisdictional liaison officer. In addition to the firefighters, the CFS is also deploying an SA Ambulance Service special operations paramedic as a component of their deployment cache to manage firefighter welfare and any immediate medical needs on that fire frontline.

I acknowledge not just the commitment of the South Australian emergency services members who dedicate extensive time and effort to ensure they are some of the most highly skilled and capable personnel in the nation but also their dedication in responding every day across South Australia to a wide variety of emergencies, including road crash rescue, hazmat, structure fires, and bushfires. Undertaking deployments such as this speaks to the heart and core values of our volunteer emergency services, which so often includes individuals putting their own lives on hold to help their communities and indeed other communities during critical times.

I have been in contact with my Northern Territory ministerial colleague the Hon. Kate Worden, and Commissioner of Police and Chief Executive Officer of Fire and the Emergency Services NT, Michael Murphy, to commit South Australia's support. On behalf of the government of South Australia, I commit not just words but our collective actions in support of our fellow Australians who are currently in need.