Yesterday's Budget and Finance Committee saw further evidence given that the Weatherill Government will not come anywhere near meeting its 'Recruit 300' police election promise.

Projected police numbers for 2017-18, provided by Police to the Committee, identify that there will be 4,421.1 sworn officers, plus 36 community constables, and 188 police cadets – a total of 4,645.1.

Shadow Minister for Police, Corrections and Justice John Gardner will travel extensively across the Riverland and Mallee during a two day tour of the region on March 10 and 11.

Hosted by Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone, Mr Gardner will meet with a number of community members, including local Neighbourhood Watch representatives and he will also speak with stakeholders around important issues within his Shadow portfolios, such as domestic violence.

In issue seventeen of Morialta Matters Liberal policies designed to reduce the cost of living are discussed.  I thank the volunteers and staff of the CFS and other agencies for battling the Sampson Flat Fires which impacted so many residents in Morialta.  I discuss ways on how to make Morialta a Dementia Friendly Community and include an invitation to a Better Gardens Q&A session.

Speaking at the 2014 Divali Festival - thanks to Dr Kuldip Chugha, President of the Punjabi Association for the opportunity!

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (15:26): I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk about the St Ignatius Leaders of Environmental Awareness and Protection group. St Ignatius is a proud school in my electorate. I am very pleased to participate with all of my local schools and, as members who listen to the grieves would be aware, I am always pleased to talk about the Morialta Citizenship Award. I was at a St Ignatius careers expo last week and a former winner of the Morialta Citizenship Award from St Ignatius, Claudia Floreani, came up to me and wanted to talk about this and that and to learn about the career that members of this house have participated in. For the record, my advice to everybody who is interested in what to do to become a politician, I encourage them to go and get some other skills and then think about coming in here down the track. Relying on running for politics can be a cruel twist of ambition for many people.

The Department of Corrections Annual Report released yesterday has highlighted the possibility of infiltration of the Corrections Department "by criminal or extremist elements".

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (14:37):My question is to the Minister for Correctional Services. Have there been any days during the current financial year when the number of prisoners in our corrections system has not exceeded the approved capacity within the system?

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (14:19): My question is to the Minister for Correctional Services. Now that the minister has had 24 hours to read the comments of the police commissioner and given the comments this morning by Corrections CEO, David Brown, that the use of surge beds have an impact on police operations, does the minister stand by his statement in question time yesterday and I quote, '…our current use of surge beds is not having a negative impact on their operations'?

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Correctional Services. Does the minister agree with the police commissioner that the government is playing musical chairs with remand prisoners in police cells and that this is now affecting police operations?

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (14:52): My question is to the Minister for Correctional Services. Has the minister or the corrections department received any advice from South Australia Police that cells currently used as surge capacity in the police cells will have reduced availability after the next year?