South Australia Police

Mr BATTY (Bragg) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Police. Will South Australian police officer numbers return to establishment levels by 30 June 2025?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN (Kavel—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Special Minister of State) (14:28): I think it's necessary to refer to my previous answer. We would like to ensure that South Australia Police returns to establishment as soon as possible and we are providing as many resources as we possibly can to achieve that outcome.

As I say, one of the principal difficulties at the moment is that South Australia Police are competing for very, very talented and capable people with many other agencies: not just first responder or emergency services agencies in South Australia but with every other police force around the country—if people are making applications to join other police forces. They may be making applications to join other arms of the emergency services, they may be making applications to join the Australian Defence Force, they may be making applications to join a wide range of other employers; and good candidates have many choices. We would, of course, encourage them to join South Australia Police. We would love everybody to consider policing as a career.

The investment is being made to ensure that there is support for recruitment and, as I have earlier indicated by way of my previous answer, which bears repeating in part: 262 graduates have successfully completed the course from the Police Academy in the last financial year, and 239 separations. So it is not right to say, as has been suggested by the opposition in the media, that there are more people leaving South Australia Police than are joining. It is the opposite. The opposite is the case.

It is unfortunate that it is necessary to reflect by way of context, of course, on the regrettable efforts that were made previously and historically in this space. As I have indicated, unhappily on a previous occasion, it's my view that it must have been obvious—it must have been obvious—to previous ministers in a former government, serving in this role in the last government, that additional investment was necessary. The number, of course, had fallen, if I rightly recall, to I think as low as 111, so it was clear enough, it was plain enough, that additional investment was required. That additional investment, of course, is now being made.