❓ Mr Nalder questions the Minister for Police on the benefits of the new digital radio network for emergency services in regional WA. The Minister highlights improved communication and safety due to the $94.5 million investment from royalties for regions.
AnsweredQoN 463Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REGIONAL
DIGITAL COMMUNITY SAFETY RADIO NETWORK
463. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Minister for Police:
I note that the minister was recently in Geraldton to roll
out the new digital communications network for WA Police and the Departments of
Corrective Services and Fire and Emergency Services. Can the minister please
inform the house how this new radio network will benefit the region, as well as
the police officers and emergency staff working in it?
DIGITAL COMMUNITY SAFETY RADIO NETWORK
463. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Minister for Police:
I note that the minister was recently in Geraldton to roll
out the new digital communications network for WA Police and the Departments of
Corrective Services and Fire and Emergency Services. Can the minister please
inform the house how this new radio network will benefit the region, as well as
the police officers and emergency staff working in it?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Alfred Cove for this question. This
project is indeed one of the great achievements of this government. This achievement
has come out of royalties for regions with a $94.5 million project to fund the
community safety network—our regional radio network. Ultimately, this
network will achieve far better communications between emergency services
throughout the regions—that is, the WA Police, the Departments of Fire
and Emergency Services and Corrective Services and the Fire and Rescue Service
of Western Australia. The tranche of the project that was released —
The SPEAKER : A
number of private meetings are going on in the chamber. Can members just listen
to the minister's answer?
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : I
call the member for West Swan to order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
In Geraldton last week, I opened the second tranche of this project, which
involves $5.1 million of royalties for regions funds to expand our regional
radio network by an additional 4 000 square kilometres, covering the area from
Geraldton to Dongara, Greenough and out to Walkaway. The communication system
that some of our emergency services workers have been putting up with in the
regions has meant that it is not unheard of, for instance, when police officers
attend crash scenes, for one police officer to secure the scene while the other
officer drives to the top of a hill to try to get a radio connection to get the
right emergency services support to assist them, such as an ambulance,
additional police officers or the jaws of life. That is why this digital radio
network is so important in the regions.
I understand that members opposite have no interest
whatsoever in the expansion of our community safety network.
Mr W.J. Johnston :
Boring again.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
However, in November 2012, we rolled out the first tranche of this project in
Kalgoorlie–Boulder. This enables our officers to do a number of things.
An example was given to me in Geraldton, and this was replicated late last year
in Kalgoorlie. At the communications tower on the edge of town in Geraldton, a
corrective services officer used a handheld radio to connect to Casuarina
Prison to speak to the coordinator, and it was as though they were standing
right next to each other. That kind of communication is exactly what is needed
in the regions when we have a critical incident such as a bushfire, a flood
emergency, a cyclone emergency or a road crash emergency. This reliable
communications network is critical infrastructure. I am very pleased to say
that the royalties for regions fund has contributed $94.5 million to the
expansion of this project, and I look forward to opening the next tranche that
pushes us further north with this far better communication and connectivity for
our emergency services.
project is indeed one of the great achievements of this government. This achievement
has come out of royalties for regions with a $94.5 million project to fund the
community safety network—our regional radio network. Ultimately, this
network will achieve far better communications between emergency services
throughout the regions—that is, the WA Police, the Departments of Fire
and Emergency Services and Corrective Services and the Fire and Rescue Service
of Western Australia. The tranche of the project that was released —
The SPEAKER : A
number of private meetings are going on in the chamber. Can members just listen
to the minister's answer?
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : I
call the member for West Swan to order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
In Geraldton last week, I opened the second tranche of this project, which
involves $5.1 million of royalties for regions funds to expand our regional
radio network by an additional 4 000 square kilometres, covering the area from
Geraldton to Dongara, Greenough and out to Walkaway. The communication system
that some of our emergency services workers have been putting up with in the
regions has meant that it is not unheard of, for instance, when police officers
attend crash scenes, for one police officer to secure the scene while the other
officer drives to the top of a hill to try to get a radio connection to get the
right emergency services support to assist them, such as an ambulance,
additional police officers or the jaws of life. That is why this digital radio
network is so important in the regions.
I understand that members opposite have no interest
whatsoever in the expansion of our community safety network.
Mr W.J. Johnston :
Boring again.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
However, in November 2012, we rolled out the first tranche of this project in
Kalgoorlie–Boulder. This enables our officers to do a number of things.
An example was given to me in Geraldton, and this was replicated late last year
in Kalgoorlie. At the communications tower on the edge of town in Geraldton, a
corrective services officer used a handheld radio to connect to Casuarina
Prison to speak to the coordinator, and it was as though they were standing
right next to each other. That kind of communication is exactly what is needed
in the regions when we have a critical incident such as a bushfire, a flood
emergency, a cyclone emergency or a road crash emergency. This reliable
communications network is critical infrastructure. I am very pleased to say
that the royalties for regions fund has contributed $94.5 million to the
expansion of this project, and I look forward to opening the next tranche that
pushes us further north with this far better communication and connectivity for
our emergency services.
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