❓ Question regarding the delayed rollout of the Target 120 youth justice program in Carnarvon. The Minister's response defends the government's investment in intervention strategies and highlights the complexities of community-based solutions, without directly answering the specific questions about timelines.
AnsweredQoN 143Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TARGET 120 — CARNARVON
143. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to Target 120, this
government's attempt to address mounting youth justice challenges,
which was promised in 2017. After six years, it remains not fully realised,
with the rollout across seven promised locations, including Carnarvon, not yet
operational.
(1) When will the minister announce
a service provider for Carnarvon?
(2) When operational, how many
families will the program cater for?
143. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to Target 120, this
government's attempt to address mounting youth justice challenges,
which was promised in 2017. After six years, it remains not fully realised,
with the rollout across seven promised locations, including Carnarvon, not yet
operational.
(1) When will the minister announce
a service provider for Carnarvon?
(2) When operational, how many
families will the program cater for?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
because it provides me with the opportunity again to address the house on this
important program, Target 120.
(1)–(2) Of
course, at its heart, Target 120 is about intervention, especially early
intervention. Since coming to government in 2017, this government has invested
over $136 million in intervention strategies because we know that the social
issues faced by many communities throughout the state and, in fact, throughout
Australia are complex. They are complex and have their basis in issues of
alcohol abuse, issues that the Minister for Racing and Gaming talked about earlier.
I
find it a bit frustrating sometimes because since I have been in the portfolio,
I have learnt of the incredible work and incredible programs that are
being run by the Department of Communities all over the state. We have intervention strategies to the tune of
$136 million. I talk to child protection workers and the people who are running the Target 120 program, and one of
the biggest challenges they face is the abuse of alcohol in local
communities, which has an impact on the important work they need to do.
I
find it is a bit rich for the opposition to say that we are not doing anything.
If those members knew anything about human services and how to actually
work with vulnerable children and families, they would know that we also need a
community that has an environment in which those children and families can
thrive.
To a certain extent, no amount of
intervention—the best teacher in the world, the best nurse in the world
or the best social worker in the world —
Point of Order
The
SPEAKER : I will hear the point of order in silence.
Mr R.S.
LOVE : The member asked quite a specific question about the rollout
of a program in Carnarvon. What we are hearing is irrelevant as an answer. I would
ask that the answer be asked to be relevant.
The
SPEAKER : The minister on her feet
will have heard your comment. I will just use this opportunity to say that I have had incessant interjections from members of the Liberal Party who did
not ask the question, which makes things a little difficult. I ask members of
the Liberal Party to stop interjecting. I will ask the minister to continue
answering the question.
Questions without Notice
Resumed
Ms S.E. WINTON : Thank you,
Madam Speaker. What I am trying to explain is that any single program is only as good as the local community environment that
supports those intervention programs. I travelled to the Pilbara and Kalgoorlie in the last few weeks, and that is the story I hear day in and day
out. Broader issues in the community are having an impact on the fantastic
intervention programs that this government is implementing.
More specifically, to the member's
question about Target 120—we have invested $31 million in rolling out
this fantastic program in over 20 locations
in the state. In fact, only recently I was with the member for Pilbara to
announce that Robe River Kuruma
Aboriginal Corporation will be the Aboriginal corporation to deliver Target 120
in Karratha . Solutions in communities are best when they are led by the
local communities. That is at the heart of Target 120. When we talk about
working with vulnerable youth, the best people to be supporting those people—to
help them with their various traumas,
whether it is alcohol abuse, domestic violence based on alcohol abuse in the
community , or other issues such as attendance—are the people
they trust, and the people they trust are the people in the community. I think
all members would agree with that.
It then follows that when we want to
procure people to run Target 120 programs all around the state, we want to get the right people in those positions to
maximise success for those young people. To find the right people in those regional towns requires a complex amount of work. I do not apologise for the
time it takes to get the right people in place in each town in which Target 120
is being rolled out.
Target 120 will be rolled out in Carnarvon, and it will be
rolled out in various communities in the Kimberley. It will follow on from the
success that we have had with Target 120 in the places where it is already
operational. We know that nearly 50 per cent
of young people who are actively participating in the program are not coming
into future contact with the youth justice system, so that is a good
thing. I look forward to updating the house as we continue to roll out Target
120.
because it provides me with the opportunity again to address the house on this
important program, Target 120.
(1)–(2) Of
course, at its heart, Target 120 is about intervention, especially early
intervention. Since coming to government in 2017, this government has invested
over $136 million in intervention strategies because we know that the social
issues faced by many communities throughout the state and, in fact, throughout
Australia are complex. They are complex and have their basis in issues of
alcohol abuse, issues that the Minister for Racing and Gaming talked about earlier.
I
find it a bit frustrating sometimes because since I have been in the portfolio,
I have learnt of the incredible work and incredible programs that are
being run by the Department of Communities all over the state. We have intervention strategies to the tune of
$136 million. I talk to child protection workers and the people who are running the Target 120 program, and one of
the biggest challenges they face is the abuse of alcohol in local
communities, which has an impact on the important work they need to do.
I
find it is a bit rich for the opposition to say that we are not doing anything.
If those members knew anything about human services and how to actually
work with vulnerable children and families, they would know that we also need a
community that has an environment in which those children and families can
thrive.
To a certain extent, no amount of
intervention—the best teacher in the world, the best nurse in the world
or the best social worker in the world —
Point of Order
The
SPEAKER : I will hear the point of order in silence.
Mr R.S.
LOVE : The member asked quite a specific question about the rollout
of a program in Carnarvon. What we are hearing is irrelevant as an answer. I would
ask that the answer be asked to be relevant.
The
SPEAKER : The minister on her feet
will have heard your comment. I will just use this opportunity to say that I have had incessant interjections from members of the Liberal Party who did
not ask the question, which makes things a little difficult. I ask members of
the Liberal Party to stop interjecting. I will ask the minister to continue
answering the question.
Questions without Notice
Resumed
Ms S.E. WINTON : Thank you,
Madam Speaker. What I am trying to explain is that any single program is only as good as the local community environment that
supports those intervention programs. I travelled to the Pilbara and Kalgoorlie in the last few weeks, and that is the story I hear day in and day
out. Broader issues in the community are having an impact on the fantastic
intervention programs that this government is implementing.
More specifically, to the member's
question about Target 120—we have invested $31 million in rolling out
this fantastic program in over 20 locations
in the state. In fact, only recently I was with the member for Pilbara to
announce that Robe River Kuruma
Aboriginal Corporation will be the Aboriginal corporation to deliver Target 120
in Karratha . Solutions in communities are best when they are led by the
local communities. That is at the heart of Target 120. When we talk about
working with vulnerable youth, the best people to be supporting those people—to
help them with their various traumas,
whether it is alcohol abuse, domestic violence based on alcohol abuse in the
community , or other issues such as attendance—are the people
they trust, and the people they trust are the people in the community. I think
all members would agree with that.
It then follows that when we want to
procure people to run Target 120 programs all around the state, we want to get the right people in those positions to
maximise success for those young people. To find the right people in those regional towns requires a complex amount of work. I do not apologise for the
time it takes to get the right people in place in each town in which Target 120
is being rolled out.
Target 120 will be rolled out in Carnarvon, and it will be
rolled out in various communities in the Kimberley. It will follow on from the
success that we have had with Target 120 in the places where it is already
operational. We know that nearly 50 per cent
of young people who are actively participating in the program are not coming
into future contact with the youth justice system, so that is a good
thing. I look forward to updating the house as we continue to roll out Target
120.
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