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The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:33): Supplementary: my reading of the Emergency Management Act is that a declaration of a major incident can only apply for 12 hours. Is it the minister's understanding that the declaration has been renewed?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:33): No, I am happy to advise that the honourable member is quite right: the declaration lasts for a period of 12 hours. At that point the state controller has the option of renewing the declaration or allowing it to lapse. The state controller does also have the ability to withdraw a declaration earlier than 12 hours. The police commissioner advised, at our last meeting yesterday evening, and I spoke to the commissioner late last night, that he was still monitoring the situation in terms of what was likely to happen regarding the extension of any such declaration, and he would make a decision in due course this morning. I was advised this morning that the police commissioner allowed the declaration to lapse, and at that point the major incident declaration concluded at 5.30am this morning.