Metropolitan Fire Service

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:12): I have a supplementary question arising out of the massively long answer: of the 18 graduating fire officers, how many were women?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:13): I was very privileged to be able to meet one of the female officers today. There is no doubt that the MFS still has work to do when it comes to improving the gender diversity within the fire service, but I am pleased to be able to report that the MFS Chief Officer, Mr Greg Crossman, is committed to putting policies in place to increase the number of female applicants to the MFS, which will in turn result in more successful female applicants coming into the fire service.

I think the Chief Officer, Mr Greg Crossman, is sincere in his desire to see a diverse fire service. We have seen the police force come on in leaps and bounds in this state to ensure that the community they serve is reflected within the actual police service itself. The MFS is now itself undertaking such a task and I think that our Chief Officer, Mr Greg Crossman, is sincere in wanting to achieve that objective and we, as a government, will be providing him every support.