A full record of Mark's Speeches are available at www.parliament.qld.gov.au
A full record of Mark's Speeches are available at www.parliament.qld.gov.au
There is nothing more important to the Palaszczuk government than the safety of the people of Queensland. It is central to every decision we make, every piece of legislation we introduce and every policy we pledge. That is why, before the last election, we made specific and concrete commitments to keep our communities safe. I can report that every single one of those commitments in my portfolio area has been delivered without the LNP’s methods of sacking, cutting and selling.
Our delivered commitments include delivering better police safety equipment, such as $5 million for body worn cameras. We have done it. We have also delivered a fair and reasonable enterprise bargaining agreement for our police. We have done it. We have increased police numbers and returned them to the front line. We have delivered that. We have discarded the former LNP government’s plans to privatise and civilianise policing operations. We have done that as well. We have poured more resources into targeting crime hotpots, organised crime, alcohol fuelled violence and the drug ice. We have done that too. We have also ensured that both our police academies continue to operate and we have given local residents more say on crime issues with the creation of community policing boards. We have done that. In fact, we have gone even further by rising to the threat of terrorism and providing more than $16 million to improve the Queensland Police Service’s counterterrorism capability and $46.7 million for a world-class counterterrorism training precinct right here in Queensland.
The world-class skills of our emergency services were well and truly on display earlier this year when Cyclone Debbie and the flooding aftermath devastated much of the state. To guarantee that our emergency services have everything they need to face future challenges, we have also delivered on the following commitments. We have amended the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Award to ensure auxiliary firefighters have their own award. We have done that. We have provided our State Emergency Service volunteers with more equipment and training. We have also ensured our rural fire brigades have a role in the early preparation of bushfire ground. We have reviewed the structure of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services to ensure that our organisational structure is professional and there are safe work standards.
The Palaszczuk government could not be more grateful for the hard work of our police and Fire and Emergency Services teams across the state. We will continue to support them as they continue to keep Queenslanders safe.