Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank all the emergency services—volunteers and career members—who have done such a great job over the summer and ongoing. We can't do without them, as we see right around Australia, from the volunteer bushfire brigade—I have almost 70 of those in my part of the world—to career firefighters and others. I have at least six surf lifesaving clubs. They do so much on our beaches all over summer. I have seven SES groups involved in search and rescue, evacuations, securing damaged homes and road rescues. They do an amazing job. And of course one of my favourites is the wonderful volunteer St John Ambulance services, who do an extraordinary job. There are at least 13 of them in Forrest and they are the live savers and so important in our regional communities. These are part of the wonderful volunteer and career services, emergency services and first responders.

I want also to thank the WA police who operate in the South West and to commend the South West police. We've seen a significant decrease in the number of sexual offences, in stealing offences, in property damage, in drug offences and in fraud related offences in Bunbury and a similar drop in crime statistics in Busselton and even in Donnybrook. I would like to acknowledge the former South West superintendent, Mick Sutherland. He's had more than one stint of service in the South West. He's gone on to another role now, in Perth, but he has been a really key part of the great results that we've seen in the South West. He is very committed; it was not his first time there. Our current superintendent is Geoff Stewart. He is continuing the work of Mick Sutherland and those who have gone before and is doing a great job.

One thing we often forget about with police officers is the horrific scenes that they have to deal with day in, day out. I thank them for the work they do in that space, right around Australia. We see them and we are immensely comforted by their presence at any location they're at. We get a great sense of security. Their sheer presence in a region makes a massive amount of difference. They are absolutely dedicated to that swift response to accidents and emergencies. They're there and they walk into the challenges, a bit like we see with our fire and emergency services people who walk into the teeth of the problem.

I've acknowledged previously specific officers like Constable Brodie Wallis, who received the highest honour in the WA police commissioner's bravery awards when he was one of four officers to receive the Commissioner's Cross for Bravery in 2018. We see police officers at so many events. We take their presence for granted, but not for one moment should we take for granted the wonderful support and security they offer our local communities. I thank each and every one of them for the work they do day in, day out.