❓ Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Minister for Child Protection, Hon. Helen Morton, regarding a promise to travel on the Armadale rail line at night to observe Aboriginal children, following a Save the Children report. The Minister admits she did not travel on the train but met with young people through other means.
AnsweredQoN 132Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ARMADALE
RAIL LINE — ABORIGINAL CHILDREN
132. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the Save the Children Australia report released in
September 2013 which called for a change in the way Aboriginal children on
public transport at night are treated. Has the minister kept her promise to
travel on the Armadale line at night? If so, what did she observe and what
changes has she recommended to the Public Transport Authority and the Minister
for Transport?
RAIL LINE — ABORIGINAL CHILDREN
132. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the Save the Children Australia report released in
September 2013 which called for a change in the way Aboriginal children on
public transport at night are treated. Has the minister kept her promise to
travel on the Armadale line at night? If so, what did she observe and what
changes has she recommended to the Public Transport Authority and the Minister
for Transport?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for asking that question. I have not
actually travelled on the train but I have met with young people.
Hon Sally Talbot : You said you travelled on the train.
Hon HELEN MORTON: I am explaining why that did not happen.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : But you said that you did.
Hon HELEN MORTON : Just wait; the reason that it did not
happen is that young people said that they did not want me to.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : They are clever.
Hon HELEN MORTON : Yes; and the reason they did not want me
to was that for me to contact and be engaged with those young people I needed
the assistance of the Save the Children Fund. When I talked with them, they
said that it would actually make it difficult for the children to come out at
night in those circumstances and that they would not want to be involved in
that kind of exercise.
Hon Sally Talbot : You just had to get on the train.
Hon HELEN MORTON : My purpose of going on the train was to
talk to the children and understand why they did not want to be at home and why
they particularly wanted to be on the railway line. I found another way to do
that. I had that art exhibition of theirs moved to Gosnells. I managed to talk
to the children there in conjunction with some other people. I actually
achieved what I set out to achieve but in a slightly different way.
Hon Sally Talbot : You could have caught the train to
Gosnells.
Hon HELEN MORTON : I could have done lots of things during
the daytime—it was during the daytime as well. My purpose was to speak
with the children and understand their issues. Nothing could give a better
understanding of those issues than their photo exhibition, talking to the
children, understanding them and respecting the children's wishes with
that response.
actually travelled on the train but I have met with young people.
Hon Sally Talbot : You said you travelled on the train.
Hon HELEN MORTON: I am explaining why that did not happen.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : But you said that you did.
Hon HELEN MORTON : Just wait; the reason that it did not
happen is that young people said that they did not want me to.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : They are clever.
Hon HELEN MORTON : Yes; and the reason they did not want me
to was that for me to contact and be engaged with those young people I needed
the assistance of the Save the Children Fund. When I talked with them, they
said that it would actually make it difficult for the children to come out at
night in those circumstances and that they would not want to be involved in
that kind of exercise.
Hon Sally Talbot : You just had to get on the train.
Hon HELEN MORTON : My purpose of going on the train was to
talk to the children and understand why they did not want to be at home and why
they particularly wanted to be on the railway line. I found another way to do
that. I had that art exhibition of theirs moved to Gosnells. I managed to talk
to the children there in conjunction with some other people. I actually
achieved what I set out to achieve but in a slightly different way.
Hon Sally Talbot : You could have caught the train to
Gosnells.
Hon HELEN MORTON : I could have done lots of things during
the daytime—it was during the daytime as well. My purpose was to speak
with the children and understand their issues. Nothing could give a better
understanding of those issues than their photo exhibition, talking to the
children, understanding them and respecting the children's wishes with
that response.
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