❓ This WA parliamentary question addresses the reporting mechanisms for sexually transmitted diseases in Aboriginal children and the legal obligations regarding sexual offences against children under 16. The Minister's response outlines reporting procedures and refers to an inter-agency protocol for handling such cases.
AnsweredQoN 552Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to child abuse in Aboriginal communities - (1) What is the present reporting mechanism when an Aboriginal child with a sexually transmitted disease presents to a medical practitioner or nurse? (2) It is an offence for a person to have sex with a child under sixteen years. Is the above information passed on to any other department? If yes, which ones? Hon SUE ELLERY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
(1) What is the present reporting mechanism when an Aboriginal child with a sexually transmitted disease presents to a medical practitioner or nurse? (2) It is an offence for a person to have sex with a child under sixteen years. Is the above information passed on to any other department? If yes, which ones? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
(2) It is an offence for a person to have sex with a child under sixteen years. Is the above information passed on to any other department? If yes, which ones? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
(1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
(1) What is the present reporting mechanism when an Aboriginal child with a sexually transmitted disease presents to a medical practitioner or nurse? (2) It is an offence for a person to have sex with a child under sixteen years. Is the above information passed on to any other department? If yes, which ones? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
(2) It is an offence for a person to have sex with a child under sixteen years. Is the above information passed on to any other department? If yes, which ones? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
(1) If an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal child presents to a medical practitioner or remote nurse with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease, appropriate tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. If the results from the tests are positive for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, donovanosis or chancroid, the Communicable Disease Control Directorate will receive an automated report from the laboratory confirming the result and identifying the details of the child. The ethnic origin of the child can be confirmed only through an interview with the clinician. Under the Health Act 1911 all medical practitioners are required to report sexually transmissible diseases to the executive director of public health, which, in practice, is done through the communicable disease control surveillance system. Therefore, information on all cases of sexually transmitted infections is collected, regardless of the age, sex or aboriginality of the individual. At present, nurse reports are enabled through the laboratory system. The inter-agency protocol will deal with all instances of sexually transmitted diseases in children aged 16 and under. (2) Under the Western Australian Criminal Code it is an offence to have a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 years. It is a defence to that charge to prove that the accused person believed, on reasonable grounds, that the child was of or over the age of 16 years and the accused person was not more than three years older than the child. The inter-agency protocol sets out the relevant agencies that are to be notified and circumstances in which notification is to occur. I seek leave to table the protocol. Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
Leave granted. [See paper No 2351.]
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