Ah Jaff - maturity has been shoved down our throats for years, so I guess we just keep repeating it
Yes Bill you are right about rural numbers declining, however I'm not sure who is feeding you this stuff about SES & combined units. There are a number around the state that work very well. But what would you do once the combinded unit drops to a level that is not sustainable? Cockburn was in that position.
There are a few others I can think of that would be close to borderline, along with some CFS brigades who a very short handed & there seems to be no solution for them either.
As the drought gets worse & the governments irrigation management policies take effect the river towns (like one of the towns that started this post) will decline further.
Waikerie, Loxton & Barmera are three towns I can think of that will shrink due to the lack of water & work.
And as I have said in previous posts that mention a fire & rescue service, great in theory don't work in practice for the reasons mentioned previously. And in the very small rural towns you would normally have a bush fire brigade anyway.
Maybe the way to think about it is SA community is trying to hard to have everything it believes it should have & yet can't support i.e. every town has a brigade/unit, hospital, school etc.
Finally as it is highly unlikely I will ever be transfered back to SA (there is no water!) I should leave any further comment on this matter to you croweaters
cheers