HICKS, MR D.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:47): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Correctional Services a question relating to David Hicks.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The departure of Mr David Hicks from Yatala Labour Prison in December 2007 involved a dozen police officers, police cars, motorcycles, blocking of lanes of traffic and the use of decoy tactics. The media reported that police vehicles zigzagged through back roads assisting Hicks in his getaway. The escort ended at a roadway where controlled air space prevented media helicopters from following the Hicks vehicle. David Hicks's father, Terry, indicated his gratitude to the authorities for the planning of the getaway and for their help in shuttling Hicks away from the public eye. My questions for the minister are:

1. Which government agencies planned the departure of Mr Hicks from the Yatala Labour Prison?

2. If road safety was the key driver, as claimed by the government, why were decoy tactics deployed, including zigzagging through back streets (which would, in itself, be a road safety hazard) and driving under controlled air space?

3. How much did the operation cost; and, considering that Mr Hicks was a federal prisoner, has the federal government reimbursed these costs?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning) (14:48): That question concerns police operations. The advice I received at the time was that the last thing the police wanted was a media scrum, with a whole series of cars chasing this car because they all wanted to get pictures and that sort of thing. Their concern was that if you had media vehicles jockeying for position behind it there would obviously be some risk to road safety.

I believe that the South Australian police acted entirely properly. All this suggestion of zigzagging down side streets and decoys and so on, I think much of that is probably a bit of media hype to make their story more readable. The advice that I received at the time was that the police were acting to ensure that there was not this hot pursuit with a whole lot of media vehicles chasing Mr Hicks all over Adelaide. The police have my full support in the way they handled the situation.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:49): I concur with my colleague the Hon. Paul Holloway that it was a very well run operational decision on the day. Certainly, the Department for Correctional Services had a responsibility to ensure it met critical requirements, including with respect to national security, community safety, and, importantly, maintaining the security and safety of the system and staff, as well as ensuring the safe, humane and lawful management of Mr Hicks.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!