Police, Alice Springs Deployment

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Have South Australian police officer resources been committed to serving at Alice Springs and, if so, how many and for what length of time?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (14:50): I can advise that, yes, the police commissioner has, under section 6 of the Police Act, acknowledged a request that has been made by the Northern Territory police commissioner to support their operations in the Northern Territory. These operations are far from abnormal. There have been multiple deployments of our sworn police from South Australia to other jurisdictions in just the last two years. I am very well aware that under the former government that was a common practice as well.

I can note that a very significant international event on the eastern seaboard saw in 2023 resources, police and sworn police, deployed from South Australia. I can also note, whilst respecting the operational sensitivities, that there have been, subsequent to that, other instances in that period of time in 2023 when there have been deployments of South Australian police into other jurisdictions. The latest advice I have is that there are two deployments of 10 police—that is, 20 in total—for about nine or 10 days on each deployment.