Digital Police Station

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Police. Will the minister rule out the closure or reduction in opening hours of any physical police stations with the opening of the digital police station?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN (Kavel—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Special Minister of State) (14:50): I appreciate the question from the shadow minister, the member for Flinders. There have been a number of pre-budget announcements in terms of law and order, and they are very important announcements. One, of course, is $19 million to facilitate the ICT project leading to what has been described as a digital police station.

I note that Mark Carroll, the President of PASA, has indicated that this is a welcome project. He has also indicated that this is a project that might have been advanced some time ago, but wasn't. In any case, this is an investment that is now being brought forward. It is an investment that is intended to ensure that police officers are released for other duties. It is intended to ensure, for example, that reports to police in relation to collisions, that members of the public seeking assistance from police officers to complete, for example, freedom of information forms, insurance-related matters and other additional matters can be dealt with more efficiently.

It is certainly a very welcome development, and it is one I anticipate the shadow minister will want to explore with me as well in the estimates process. I am not advised that the digital police station is intended to replace or result in the shutdown of a physical police station. That is not its intention. The intention of this particular commitment is to ensure that up to 100 police and staff can be diverted to frontline services.