South Australia Police

Mr BATTY (Bragg) (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Police. Does the minister have any plans to increase the funded establishment level of SA Police officers?

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN (Kavel—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Special Minister of State) (14:31): I appreciate this important question. Certain of these matters were ventilated on FIVEaa. I think the shadow minister made a contribution to that important debate as well. The shadow minister will know that my answer was that our focus is on ensuring that South Australia Police regain establishment figures, and that is an investment that has been made—or substantial investments have been made—as I have earlier indicated, to achieve that outcome, and a substantial recruitment campaign. That's the focus.

But what should not fall out of view, of course, is the desire to ensure that we have additional police security officers (PSOs), and that investment is an important, necessary and ancillary step to establishment overall. So 189 additional officers are sought with respect to that program.

I must say too, of course, that it's not just direct investment in police recruitment that is important to support police. By way of context, it's necessary to ensure that there is a full budget program, a series of budget measures which are supporting SAPOL and, as the shadow minister may be aware, but by way of context for colleagues, $36.7 million has been invested to ensure that we have police heading back to the frontline for frontline duties and, on our analysis, that will free up the equivalent of more than 100 police officers and staff for operational duties.

Those present, of course, will be familiar with the $90 million investment that has been made in a digital police station to ensure that there are certain efficiencies in relation to tasks that are being performed presently by officers. There is $9.3 million for workforce civilianisation; $8.5 million for telephone resolution capabilities; $25.5 million for the National Firearms Register; and, obviously, a very significant and important investment in the member for MacKillop's community, which will see the construction of a new Naracoorte police station.

We have touched on international recruitment, and I won't detain us in relation to those remarks but just emphasise overall that the level of investment in South Australia Police is very significant at the moment. It is significant in its own right. It far, far eclipses the investment profile that we saw under the previous government when the Leader of the Opposition was the minister, and others in the role.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Florey will come to order. And members on my left, please listen to the minister in silence.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: The hard troubling fact is that it would have been plain that certain of these investments were necessary at a much earlier time, but were not, nevertheless, as I earlier indicated, made available.