House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-09-13 Daily Xml

Contents

Police Recruitment

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (15:01): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Is the government implementing relocation incentives or cost-of-living payments for new police recruits to combat the current issues with police recruiting?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir. Standing order 97: the question involves argument at the end.

The SPEAKER: I am going to give the member for Flinders an opportunity to recast the question.

Mr TELFER: Is the government implementing relocation incentives or cost-of-living payments for new police recruits?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (15:01): Those matters are being considered. I have already flagged publicly that there are matters that are associated with the very significant investment that the state government has made in this budget that directly goes to supporting the recruitment of 900 police over the next three years. I will say it again: 900 police over the next three years.

We are backing that in with a financial commitment, but at the same time, the police commissioner, with the support of the government, is investigating a number of measures, incentives and retention support to attract police. I have put to him that I think South Australia is a wonderful attraction in itself, but he has put to me that it may require something a bit more. All of that is being considered, and I will certainly be having a bit more to say about that in the near future.