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http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/news.php?id=1718BUDGET: Community safety
Hon KEVIN FOLEY MP
Deputy Premier
Treasurer
Minister for Industry and Trade
Minister for Federal/State Relations
Contact details
June 7, 2007
The safety and security of South Australian communities remains a high priority for the Rann Government, with more than $114 million allocated in today’s State Budget for vital law and order initiatives.
The Rann Government is again providing record levels of resources to the South Australia Police, with today’s State Budget providing $567.3 million for SAPOL operations for 2007-08.
Since 2002, the Government has backed its tough stand on law and order by increasing SAPOL’s annual budget by 53.6 per cent compared with 2001-02.
In a direct response to the Government’s tough law and order policies, $24.4 million has been allocated over four years to create an additional 125 beds in the State’s prisons.
This will allow Correctional Services to manage the increasing prison population until the new $411 million prisons complex is completed.
This initiative is expected to create 40 new jobs in the prison system.
In addition, $3 million over the next four years has been allocated to upgrade Community Corrections offices.
“As part of this initiative, new offices will be leased in Port Pirie, and the existing office at Noarlunga will be replaced.
The Government is also committing $3.8 million over four years to upgrade prison electronic security systems, to ensure that state-of-the-art security is maintained throughout the South Australian prison system.
The drug testing of drivers in South Australia will be expanded after the 12 month trial ends in July, with a Budget allocation of $11.1m over four years.
This new funding will result in increased detection rates of drug-impaired drivers, which in turn will support SAPOL’s road safety focus.
Today’s Budget recognises the town of Roxby Downs is set to expand rapidly, due to the mining boom currently being experienced in South Australia.
That’s why $8 million has been allocated to expand the police facility in the town to accommodate an additional 23 officers, with a further $4.4 million allocated to meet employee housing, transport and location costs.
“We are also investing $9.5 million to replace the police station at Murray Bridge.
“Furthermore, $2.25 million has been allocated to replace the vessel for the Police Star Group officers and a $5.6 million is set aside to replace SAPOL’s GRN radio handsets.
The rapid growth of Adelaide’s southern suburbs has been recognised by the Government, with $5.1 million allocated to build a new Metropolitan Fire Service station at Seaford.
The new station is expected to be completed by 2009-10, with a further budget allocation of $4.4 million over two years for the 22 new staff needed when the station is operational.
And, $5 million will enable a new Metropolitan Fire Service station to be constructed in Port Lincoln, two years earlier than originally scheduled.
Replacing the ageing existing station, the new building will provide the town’s fire-fighters with much improved facilities, and will be co-located with Port Lincoln’s new CFS and SES facilities.
There’s also a $1.2 million allocation for a new fire appliance for Port Lincoln, which can be used to fight fires in multi-storey buildings. The new appliance is needed to address the fire risk created by high-rise development in Port Lincoln, including the new seven-storey hotel project.
Also benefiting the Port Lincoln community, today’s Budget includes an allocation of $350,000 for a new rescue vessel for the Port Lincoln State Emergency Service unit. A 9.5 metre multi-hulled vessel - with a range of 370 kilometres - will be purchased, which will be more suitable for operations in the sea conditions around Port Lincoln.
The existing Port Lincoln SES boat will be transferred to Kingston, which will significantly boost the capacity of the local SES unit to deal with marine rescue operations between Pt MacDonnell and the Murray Mouth.
South Australia’s aerial firefighting capability will be expanded, through a $4 million allocation, while $2.1 million over four years has been allocated to continue enhanced bushfire prevention programs.
And, $312,000 over four years has been allocated to expand the summertime aerial shark patrols.
During the past two years, Government funding has helped to deliver 600 hours of aerial shark surveillance. The extra funding in this year’s Budget will allow the patrols to cover the important weekday periods when the holiday VacSwim classes are being conducted.
The State Government will also invest:
nearly $3.6 million over the next four years to provide video conferencing facilities to protect vulnerable witnesses;
an additional $830,000 over four years for Operation Flinders – the highly regarded program that helps youth offenders; and
nearly $1.4 million over the next four years in developing a state-of-the-art robotic system in South Australia’s DNA laboratory.