House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-02-19 Daily Xml

Contents

POLICE STATIONS

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:53): I have a supplementary question. Given the minister's answer, that he refuses to rule in or rule out—

The SPEAKER: Yes, what is the supplementary question, member for Stuart?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Why is it that he did tell the media that they were considering closing the Firle and Malvern police stations?

The SPEAKER: I will treat that as a supplementary. Minister for Police.

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Finance, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:53): If you can supply me with the transcript that—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: No, seriously, if you—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: No, I did not single out any particular police stations. I made reference to a discussion that I had had with the police commissioner where he flagged this as a particular proposition. We were not discussing police stations per se, we were discussing shopfront operations. He had a view, and it will be injected into overall deliberations on attainment of the savings objectives as outlined in the previous budget.

Any matters will be determined within the context of discussion for the next budget. We are not ruling anything in or anything out. At this stage we are taking on board suggestions as to best ensure that South Australia remains at the forefront in the nation in terms of having the highest number per capita of front-line police protecting our community. It is a position that we have held for six years, and it is not one that we will relinquish.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Bragg, if you are interjecting backwards and sideways, I can still hear you, and it is still out of order. The member for Mitchell.