Police union urges SA deputy premier to address critical staffing shortfall in Coober Pedy

The Police Association of South Australia (PASA) has appealed to Deputy Premier Kyam Maher, urging immediate intervention to remedy chronic understaffing in the remote town of Coober Pedy. In its letter, PASA president Wade Burns warned that the shortage endangers both officers and the community, citing a repeat youth offender released on supervised bail without an ankle monitor because Youth Justice lacks local personnel, and a recent incident where an intoxicated man shattered the police station’s front door.

The station, serving about 4,000 residents, operates with only eight of 19 positions filled, down from ten earlier in the year. PASA’s concerns are tied to an ongoing South Australian Employment Tribunal claim in which the union proposed rent-free housing, on-call allowances and a 45 % overtime loading to attract staff, a plan rejected by SA Police over cost and equity concerns. The state government says it has invested over $300 million in police since 2022, while local tourism groups argue crime reports lack context. The tribunal case remains unresolved.