Transit Police

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:23): I have a supplementary question. In relation to the FOI I quoted, I will just repeat it. The FTE Public Transport Safety Branch police officers, as at 3 February 2016, is 73.8. When has it become the practice of the government to release only the figures of people who were at work on a particular day? I think the exact number of transit police officers you have is 73.8.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I'm asking him a question, not you.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I'm asking him a question

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Leader of the Opposition, was that a question or a statement? I didn't hear a question in that.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: It was a question about the FOI policy of SAPOL. Did they release the number of people who were at work on any one particular day or is it just a figure that they have picked out of the air?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:24): The Leader of the Opposition does get very, very excited when someone else chimes in and interjects with what is an entirely accurate response. I think the honourable minister should be forgiven for piping up when such silly questions are asked. The facts are very simple. Responses to FOIs answer the question that is being asked, and it is my advice that the FOI is accurate and directly answers the question that was asked by the person who asked it.