Legislative Council Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2) 53 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Police Stations Police Stations The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE Legislative Council Police Stations The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:14): Based on the minister's answer regarding his comment about 9 per cent growth and the fact that he has previously said that it is compounding 9 per cent growth—that is, his government's budget to police—does the minister agree with rank and file police officers that this review is about cuts to at least $150 million of the budget, and that there will be a reduction therefore in services to the public, and why would the commissioner be cutting services and shutting police stations with respect to hours and other initiatives if he did not have to face the cuts, and how then can the minister say there is a 9 per cent compounding growth in the budget? Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS Legislative Council Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:15): I thank the honourable member for his question. I particularly welcome the opportunity to reiterate the fact that I am advised of, that over the life of this government we have been increasing the police budget by an average of approximately 9 per cent per annum. I have never referred to compounding. You are at liberty to try to interpret my statistics as you will or however you like, but I have referred to the fact repeatedly, and I will continue to refer to the fact, that we have been a government that has been increasing the SAPOL budget. So when you get up and start talking about cuts, they are a total fabrication, because we have been increasing SAPOL's budget and we will continue to increase SAPOL's budget going forward. Unlike when SAPOL was under the control of the Hon. Mr Brokenshire, there are more police on this police force than ever before. It is something I think we should all be proud of. They are doing an outstanding job. We have seen a very substantial— The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire Legislative Council The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire: I'll put my record against yours. The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS Legislative Council The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: We have seen a very substantial reduction in crime since you were in office— Members interjecting: The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS Legislative Council The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Well, in respect to the record of this government— The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS Legislative Council The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: In respect to this government's record versus the previous government, I would refer to the fact that certainly on some accounts there has been a 38 per cent reduction in crimes regarding property, in comparison with the last government. That speaks to thousands upon thousands fewer victims under this government than what was otherwise the case when Mr Brokenshire was relevant. The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: A supplementary, the Hon. Mr Brokenshire.