Mount Gambier Metropolitan Fire Service

Tuesday August 24, 2021

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (15:55): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Can the minister inform the residents of Mount Gambier why the Seaford MFS and the Mount Barker MFS are receiving brand-new fire appliances, yet the Mount Gambier MFS, which attends more call-outs and whose nearest MFS support is Murray Bridge, are receiving second-hand appliances?

 

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (15:55): I thank the member for Mount Gambier for the question. Obviously, in terms of emergency services and trucks, we are spending money in a way that hasn't been done for many, many decades—in fact, record amounts of expenditure in the emergency services space. I would like to take the opportunity to firstly thank the MFS in Mount Gambier for the great work they do in protecting lives, livelihoods and also the environment. They do a magnificent job. Since coming into government, sir—

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member for Elizabeth is called to order.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: —our government has obviously spent close to $70 million in additional funding into the MFS since 2018, and that has certainly strengthened the appliance fleet right across the board. Of course, by investing in that across the board, that's obviously designed to reduce the age of appliances right across the state. In doing that, all stations in time will also benefit from those new appliances by entering the system with appliances that may need to be retired, or midlife appliances when they are refurbished as well.

We know that after the Keelty review there has been a record amount of expenditure by this government. We have a number of appliances that we have been driving to make sure they arrive as soon as possible. We know that the first two, as the member alluded to, have arrived, one in Mount Barker—and I know that the member for Kavel was very happy to be out there with me recently—and one has gone to the member for Kaurna's electorate in the Seaford area. There are a number of other appliances, another eight in fact, and they are all on track to be delivered by March 2022.

As I said, our government continues to invest record amounts in this space, but, of course, I do appreciate and acknowledge the member for Mount Gambier coming into the house and raising this on behalf of his constituents. What I can advise in terms of the MFS in Mount Gambier is that they have had a capability boost—in fact, they had one recently, with a new combination aerial pumping appliance, in 2016—and they will soon be bolstered further by what will be a newly refurbished 3,000-litre pumper. With that pumper, I am advised that delivery is anticipated before the upcoming bushfire danger season.

Of course, the MFS and the deployment of appliances right throughout the MFS is an operational decision. MFS appliances are given a midlife refurb, rebuild, and that certainly extends their operational response life significantly and, therefore, the value to the SA community. The MFS will continually review its current appliance fleet. I will continue to work with the MFS, and I will continue to provide resources wherever we are able to do so as well. As I said, our investment is designed to reduce the age of appliances right across the state, and all stations will benefit from those new appliances that enter the system.

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