Police Recruitment

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (14:40): A further supplementary question based on the minister's answer regarding his support of the police commissioner's policy of trying to have 50 per cent men and 50 per cent women in the police force: will the minister assure the house that adequate budget and adequate additional numbers of officers will be employed so that policewomen have the right to have maternity leave when they have children, or will there be a vacuum of police officers when women take what is rightfully theirs, and that is maternity leave?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:41): I would have thought that the government dramatically increasing the size of the South Australian police force to its highest ever level on record—a level that is far, far superior to the paltry record of the former conservative government and their police minister—will go a long way to alleviating the concern that Mr Brokenshire has.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!