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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-07-02 Daily Xml
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Keelty Review

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (14:30): My question is again to the Minister for Emergency Services. Is the Keelty review critical of how SAFECOM operated during the 2019-20 bushfire season?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:30): That will all be revealed when the report comes out. What I can say is that it's a little bit rich coming from the opposition. This is an opposition—

The Hon. V.A. Chapman: They set up SAFECOM.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —yes—that did set up SAFECOM a number of years ago, had done a number of reviews into emergency services and dragged their heels on all the findings. In fact, that is something that came back very heavily to me speaking to people throughout the emergency services sector: they dragged their heels and sat on their hands. In fact, they just shoved their hands in their pockets and did nothing—nothing—to help the emergency services sector. I think it's 2 July today.

The Hon. S.S. Marshall: Doubled the emergency services levy.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: That's what they did do—doubled the emergency services levy. They were out there today questioning when the report will be released, when it will be made public, two days after the date it was expected. Can I say to Mick Keelty, who did this review, given that South Australia is the first state, to my knowledge, to have the review handed down, we went to great lengths to make sure this was done in quick time to make sure we can help out our emergency services ahead of the summer ahead. This was the intent and the plan.

Bear in mind, we had to go through a COVID pandemic, of course, which made it incredibly hard for the reviewer to do his work. To his credit, he was very proactive, engaging with more than 600 people, and having countless community meetings online to hear what people had to say, all through COVID. The date wasn't pushed back. It wasn't shoved back. We want to make sure we receive this review with time to make an assessment and implement actions ahead of the summer. That was the intent and that is what we have delivered.

What we have already delivered, bearing in mind the mess we were left by those opposite and those with CFS brigades in their regions would know, is our Project Renew, putting millions of dollars back into upgrading resources for our emergency services, our Country Fire Service, and they appreciated it. Right throughout the great work they did through the summer, they were all saying thank you, thank you for that wonderful work.

There was also $4.4 million to make sure that our CFS and emergency service vehicles were maintained properly. Those on the other side neglected them, let them go to rack and ruin, and didn't care if they were travelling in unsafe vehicles, but we put that money in. Of course, there was $9.2 million into aerial firefighting, increasing our capability from 17 to 26 planes in the air, and weren't they invaluable through the fire season just gone—absolutely sensational. If we look back to previous reports—

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth is warned.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: When this opposition was on the other side and they were in these seats the Labor government oversaw the Burns review. One of the recommendations was about AVL. AVL is the automatic vehicle location system in trucks and vehicles. What did they do with that? They were very, very quiet on that—shoved it under the carpet and didn't want anyone to know. In fact, they wanted to take it off the radar. Well, we have put money towards AVL. We know it's important and this government is delivering.

On that side, they talk about emergency services and delivered nothing for emergency services, yet we do a review on the back of the bushfire season we had. It was one of the worst in this state's history and our emergency services went over and above and delivered absolutely outstanding results for our communities and they want to attack them. Their record on emergency services is appalling. We on this side have delivered.

The Hon. S.K. Knoll: It's interesting that obviously this line of questioning isn't important enough.

The SPEAKER: Minister, be quiet.

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