Power Outages, Telecommunications

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:20): Supplementary question: is the minister indicating that this particular official advisory from SA Police News, advising all South Australians in relation to 000 services, was untrue? It is in clear contradiction to—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: —the statement the minister gave to the house on two separate occasions this afternoon. Whom are we to believe, the minister or SA Police News, in terms of its official advisory? What is the minister trying to cover up?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:24): I have to say, I am utterly appalled at the attempt by the Hon. Mr Lucas to try to politicise what is a very significant event—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Let the minister answer the question.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I provide, as every minister does, the most clear information that I possibly can—that is honest with the general public—through this forum. The advice that I have received from people regarding the 000 service is that the 000 service remains live and utterly capable of taking incoming calls. I advised earlier that there may be issues with people being able to access 000 because of them not having access to working landlines or working mobile phones and the like. That is the advice I have received. I am happy to give updates as the afternoon goes on, if that situation has changed, but the advice I have received is consistent with what my remarks have been.

I have to say to the Hon. Mr Lucas: no wonder people have stopped listening to you, Rob, no wonder. Playing these word games when we have a significant emergency on and trying to undermine people's confidence in our emergency services through the course of an event is utterly appalling. Quite frankly, you should be ashamed of yourself.