❓ Ms McGurk questions the Premier regarding the Department for Child Protection and Family Support's handling of domestic violence cases highlighted in an Ombudsman report. The Premier acknowledges the issue, cites resource constraints and increased demand, and defends the department's focus on child protection.
AnsweredQoN 992Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
VIOLENCE
RESTRAINING ORDERS — OMBUDSMAN REPORT
992. Ms S.F. McGURK to the
Premier:
I refer to the Ombudsman's report released today in
which he investigated the issues associated with violence restraining orders
and their relationship to family and domestic violence fatalities. In
particular, in 93 per cent of the cases in which the Department for Child
Protection and Family Support identified family and domestic violence as an
issue, the department did not proceed with further action. In 44 of those cases
in which the department did identify family and domestic violence, the
department concluded that it was not departmental business. In 290 duty
interactions in which family and domestic violence was identified, the
department did not use its own screening tool to assess the risk and protect
against further violence. Will the Premier take responsibility for these
damning figures and sack the minister who is overseeing this shameful neglect;
and, if not, who is responsible?
RESTRAINING ORDERS — OMBUDSMAN REPORT
992. Ms S.F. McGURK to the
Premier:
I refer to the Ombudsman's report released today in
which he investigated the issues associated with violence restraining orders
and their relationship to family and domestic violence fatalities. In
particular, in 93 per cent of the cases in which the Department for Child
Protection and Family Support identified family and domestic violence as an
issue, the department did not proceed with further action. In 44 of those cases
in which the department did identify family and domestic violence, the
department concluded that it was not departmental business. In 290 duty
interactions in which family and domestic violence was identified, the
department did not use its own screening tool to assess the risk and protect
against further violence. Will the Premier take responsibility for these
damning figures and sack the minister who is overseeing this shameful neglect;
and, if not, who is responsible?
AnswerView source ↗
I am, Mr Speaker. Domestic violence quite rightly has been
getting a lot of public attention over the past couple of years—as it
should. There is no doubt that a lot of domestic violence has been concealed.
People, women in particular, including the Australian of the Year, are now
prepared to come out and speak about it, which is a good thing. I suspect—I
do not know whether the evidence is there—that increased use of drugs,
particularly ice, is a contributing factor. There would be a host of factors. I
accept the comments made, but the Department for Child Protection and Family
Support's biggest responsibility is to look after children in the care
of the state. I am not moving away from the point of the question, but the
number of children in the care of the state has almost doubled in the last
decade. There is a limit to the resources. I think the resources of that
department have gone up by something like 70 per cent since this government
came to power, but that is not enough and by itself it does not stop domestic
violence. We are therefore participating fully with the commonwealth and other
governments around Australia in addressing domestic violence, and I hope that
progress is made.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
do not make an excuse, but bear in mind that it is not the department that is
committing those acts; it is individuals in our community who are behaving in a
gross way. At least the issue is out there. The only words I will say—and
they will come from me—are that the prime responsibility of that
department is the protection of children. Obviously the department gets caught
up in domestic violence situations. It is a terribly, terribly sad issue, but I
would ask members to hesitate a little bit before jumping on a bandwagon of
criticising a department that is under enormous stress as a backdoor way of
trying to criticise the government.
getting a lot of public attention over the past couple of years—as it
should. There is no doubt that a lot of domestic violence has been concealed.
People, women in particular, including the Australian of the Year, are now
prepared to come out and speak about it, which is a good thing. I suspect—I
do not know whether the evidence is there—that increased use of drugs,
particularly ice, is a contributing factor. There would be a host of factors. I
accept the comments made, but the Department for Child Protection and Family
Support's biggest responsibility is to look after children in the care
of the state. I am not moving away from the point of the question, but the
number of children in the care of the state has almost doubled in the last
decade. There is a limit to the resources. I think the resources of that
department have gone up by something like 70 per cent since this government
came to power, but that is not enough and by itself it does not stop domestic
violence. We are therefore participating fully with the commonwealth and other
governments around Australia in addressing domestic violence, and I hope that
progress is made.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
do not make an excuse, but bear in mind that it is not the department that is
committing those acts; it is individuals in our community who are behaving in a
gross way. At least the issue is out there. The only words I will say—and
they will come from me—are that the prime responsibility of that
department is the protection of children. Obviously the department gets caught
up in domestic violence situations. It is a terribly, terribly sad issue, but I
would ask members to hesitate a little bit before jumping on a bandwagon of
criticising a department that is under enormous stress as a backdoor way of
trying to criticise the government.
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