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Budget 2021-22
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Delivering a SOG Purpose Built Southern Facility

26 August 2021

Jacquie Petrusma MP

Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to keeping Tasmanians safe which is why we are investing $3.6 million in the 2021-22 Tasmanian Budget to construct a southern based Special Operations Group (SOG) facility.

SOG officers are highly trained and equipped to respond to a wide range of security situations and can be deployed during high-risk policing incidents in response to security threats or to support criminal investigations.

This investment builds on the $8.9 million announced in last year’s Budget to employ an additional 20 SOG officers over four years, and an investment of $1 million to build a purpose built SOG facility in the North, which is currently under construction.  In the short term, the additional officers will support Tasmania’s COVID-19 response capacity in areas such as quarantine checking, compliance and assessment, which are critical services in helping to keep our community safe.

In addition, the 2021-22 Tasmanian Budget has locked in the Liberal Government’s Country Police Station Relief Policy with funding of $10.6 million secured across the Forward Estimates. This Policy provides a consistent state-wide approach to relieving our officers in regional and remote communities, and will enhance response and service provision in these areas.

The 2021-22 Budget includes an additional $3.5 million to continue the COVID Coordination Centre for the whole-of-government response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, which is central to keeping Tasmanians safe during our response to the pandemic.

The Budget also locks in the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s election commitments targeted at keeping Tasmanians safe including:

  • An initial $3 million towards the new $7.5 million St Helen’s Police Station;
  • An initial $6 million towards the $12.5 million upgrade of the Bridgewater Police Station;
  • $4 million in funding to local communities to install CCTV to gather evidence and provide safer community spaces;
  • $1.5 million additional funding for the Health and Wellbeing of emergency service personnel and volunteers, taking the total funding to $3 million per annum; and
  • $11.9 million towards boosting police numbers by a further 50 over five years and providing more specialist support staff for police.

We know that Tasmania is one of the safest places to live and our crime rates are reflective of this.  Our commitments in the 2021-22 Budget build on the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s strong track record of protecting the Tasmanian community.