Country Fire Service

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:31): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, representing the Treasurer, on commitments made in this place in regard to CFS facility audits.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: This council would be well aware that a motion moved by myself, and supported by this council, calling for an audit of CFS facilities passed this place in 2023. Following that, I sought to amend a budget bill, and in the debate on that budget bill on 30 November, the Hon. Kyam Maher, as minister representing the Treasurer, made a statement to this place. That statement was:

Under the Emergency Services Funding Act 1998, resourcing for the provision of emergency services in South Australia, including the South Australian CFS, is reported to and considered by the Economic and Finance Committee of parliament as part of the annual emergency services levy rate-setting process. The government proposes that instead, in the process of reporting to the Economic and Finance Committee, the CFS undertake to provide to the committee an audit and assessment of their current resources and facilities. The committee members also have the opportunity to directly question the Chief Officer of the CFS at the committee hearing as well.

The Hon. Kyam Maher went on to say that he understood these assurances would be accepted by the Hon. Tammy Franks and offered to continue to work constructively with me. My questions to the Treasurer, via the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, are: when will the Economic and Finance Committee commence that body of work which will implement a CFS facilities audit, and when will they report on it?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:33): I thank the honourable member for her questions, for her attention to detail, and I certainly will follow those up and bring back the honourable member a reply.