South Australia Police

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (14:48): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Police a question regarding the South Australian police and the South Australian police department.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: It is no secret that South Australian police face unprecedented budget cuts to the tune of $260 million into the forward estimates. It is no secret that South Australian police have a record now similar to the former Bannon government record on the third arterial road, where three times at elections promises are made about increased police numbers and they do not occur. We all know that in 2010 the now Labor government made a commitment to what they called R313, which was an increase of 313 police officers into the forward estimates.

We also know now that whether there is $16.1 million or not in promises financially, there will be no fulfilment of that commitment before 2020. We also know that this government is closing police stations and privatising and civilianising our South Australian police. My question, therefore, to the minister is: for transparency and to restore confidence in what the government is doing with policing, will the police minister support a select committee into the South Australian police?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for his important question. I know the honourable member has an important interest in police, particularly in light of his previous service as the minister for police. Let's just take a moment to reflect on that. When the former minister for police the Hon. Mr Brokenshire last held that office, I am advised, the budget within SAPOL was around about $369 million. Now, it is $882 million.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Brokenshire, you have asked the question; now listen to the answer.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I know the Hon. Mr Brokenshire has a passion for facts, so let's just trot out a few. The current police budget in 2016-17 is $882 million. That differential, notwithstanding the passage of time (and it has been some time, I know) represents very substantial real growth over that period—real growth over and above the rate of inflation.

The honourable member refers to budget cuts to SAPOL. I think that is a really unfair misrepresentation of the facts, because we know that, over the life of the forward estimates, during this budget period, the police budget increases in real terms. That is an amount that is over and above the rate of inflation. Any suggestion that this government does not have a high commitment to funding SAPOL is a complete misrepresentation of the truth.

We have massively improved and increased the level of expenditure within SAPOL and, of course, we know that that has been a wise investment on behalf of the state government because we have seen substantial reductions in victim-reported crime in this state. There has been a whole range of contributing factors to that result. One of them, of course, is the incredible hard work being done by our men and women serving our state within South Australia Police.

In regard to police numbers, again, it doesn't hurt to look at the facts. The size of the police force has substantially increased since the Hon. Mr Brokenshire was the minister for police. We have more police officers out on the ground now than was the case then, and we remain committed to again increasing the number of police in South Australia over coming years. The Hon. Mr Brokenshire refers to the delay in respect to Recruit 313. I don't resile from that. I have been open and transparent regarding the circumstances that led to that decision being made and I am happy to refresh the honourable member's mind in respect of that.

I was advised by the police commissioner that reaching the Recruit 313 target by 2018 would necessitate the active recruitment of police officers from overseas, as has been the case in previous years, to be able to rapidly recruit additional police officers into the state of South Australia. We have seen a number of police officers recruited from the United Kingdom who are doing a very good job currently within the South Australian police force.

But in light of his advising me of that information and in light of the employment challenge we have in this state, which this government remains incredibly committed to addressing, a conscious decision was made by the police commissioner in conjunction with myself to stop the active recruitment of police officers from overseas in order to ensure that South Australians have the largest possible opportunity to serve in the South Australian police force.

A consequence of that decision is that the Recruit 313 program has to be delayed by two years. I acknowledge that that is not ideal but, on balance, those of us within government have to make responsible decisions in light of the circumstances at the time and we are a government that is committed to South Australian jobs. We want to be a government that makes sure that we have as many South Australians working in the South Australian police force.

I think that is an honourable objective. I think it is a wise decision that the police commissioner and I have made together and we are very committed to making sure that we honour the 313 target by 2020. Of course, the government's commitment in respect to that is represented by the extra $16.1 million that the Treasurer has made available in the budget to ensure that that target is reached.