Country Fire Service Facilities

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:44): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Has the minister received a briefing on any CFS stations that are set to receive upgrades and/or new builds and, if so, will he release the list of stations?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN (Kavel—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Special Minister of State) (14:45): Not only have I received a briefing in relation to CFS stations, I have received a briefing in relation to all CFS assets. Our CFS community, of course, is more than 13,000 volunteers—13,500 volunteers, approximately. They are vital to our country firefighting operation and to the confidence that our country and peri-urban communities have at times of need, not only in responding to bushfires but also for road crash rescue or to assist in natural disasters of other types, that the CFS will be well-equipped in terms of what is inside the shed and that the facilities that they have access to will be also fit for purpose.

But the member will know that there are approximately 425 sites that the CFS is required to maintain and the member will also know that consideration is being given to an adequate audit of all of those sites to determine exactly the state of these assets. I was myself disappointed that in the life of the previous government certain requests—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: This is important context. This is very important context. Certain requests in relation to the upgrade of CFS assets, including in my own community, were not addressed, so this has been an issue that has been live in this state for quite some time.

Just this morning I had the opportunity to meet with the service chiefs, not just of course the CFS chief but also the SES chief and the Metropolitan Fire Service chief, and we examined this very issue. We examined a long schedule of works that are being progressed to ensure that the assets available for country firefighting, the assets available for metropolitan firefighting and also the assets available to ensure that the State Emergency Service volunteers are fit for purpose.

But as I say, there has been a degree of neglect, I think, in a certain period where there was a government that had a whole series of country members. Now, there were a number of concerns over the life of that government, and can I say a number of country members are now sitting in different seats, and can I suggest to you at least in relation to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister will return to his answer and stop provoking those opposite.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: Well, don't the facts just sting. Don't they just sting. I say, of course, that certain requests that I had were left unaddressed and it was the experience of a number of country members. But just this morning early in the life of the portfolios that I am charged with progressing, we were meeting with the chiefs to examine this very issue. Now, the house might also be interested in some additional context. Since the commencement of this year, 100 per cent of the emergency services questions have come to me which means you asked none prior to my appointment. What an unbelievable record! Clearly, we have touched the hot spoke to the side of the shadow minister—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Time has expired, minister.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: —and he is up and about; finally up and about.