Regional Emergency Services

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:36): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services regarding regional response times.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: The latest data released in the Report on Government Services 2025 highlights significant challenges in emergency service performances in South Australia's regional areas. Response times to structure fires in inner regional areas increased from 29.9 minutes in 2021-22 to 38.5 minutes in 2023-24. Similarly, in outer regional areas, response times rose from 21.3 minutes in 2021-22 to 29.8 minutes in 2023-24.

Compounding these concerning trends, fire service expenditure per person in South Australia has fallen sharply from $166.74 in 2021-22 to $145.02 in 2023-24. My question to the Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services is: what specific measures is the minister taking, or intending to take, to improve response times in regional South Australia, particularly in light of declining per capita expenditure on fire services?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:37): I thank the member for her question. Obviously, response times across emergency services play a big part in how we protect our community. We see the responses coming from both our regional MFS services but also our CFS services as well. I have seen firsthand the responses that we have been putting in place with the Wilmington fire, where we had lots of people from our community coming together as an emergency service. I want to say thank you to each and every one of them for giving their time to protect our community.

I also know there have been significant investments in regard to our emergency services, with 12 news trucks going into the system but also an audit that is being undertaken. My understanding is that we can look at what services are required and where the gaps are. My understanding is there is an audit underway, and that investments have been made in new appliances across our system.