❓ Mr Logan asks about the current position on mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse in WA. Ms McHale acknowledges WA is the only state without it and announces an independent review to reassess the government's position and improve the current system.
AnsweredQoN 842Legislative Assembly
Asked
27 March 2002
Member
Portfolio
Community Development, Women’s Interests, Seniors and Youth
QuestionView source ↗
Will the minister advise of the current position on mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse in Western Australia? Ms McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
This feels like a hat-trick. I welcome that probing question from the member for Cockburn dealing with a sensitive issue that challenges each State in this nation. Western Australia is the only State without some form of legislative requirement for mandatory reporting. That does not necessarily mean that is wrong or right. The last major review of this issue was in 1986-87 when the State determined that mandatory reporting would not be a tool in combating child sexual abuse. This Government thinks it is timely to review the position and reassess the Government’s position on mandatory reporting. There are arguments for and against mandatory reporting. I have called for an independent review of the effectiveness of mandatory reporting in the States in which it is a legislative requirement. I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
Ms McHALE replied: This feels like a hat-trick. I welcome that probing question from the member for Cockburn dealing with a sensitive issue that challenges each State in this nation. Western Australia is the only State without some form of legislative requirement for mandatory reporting. That does not necessarily mean that is wrong or right. The last major review of this issue was in 1986-87 when the State determined that mandatory reporting would not be a tool in combating child sexual abuse. This Government thinks it is timely to review the position and reassess the Government’s position on mandatory reporting. There are arguments for and against mandatory reporting. I have called for an independent review of the effectiveness of mandatory reporting in the States in which it is a legislative requirement. I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
This feels like a hat-trick. I welcome that probing question from the member for Cockburn dealing with a sensitive issue that challenges each State in this nation. Western Australia is the only State without some form of legislative requirement for mandatory reporting. That does not necessarily mean that is wrong or right. The last major review of this issue was in 1986-87 when the State determined that mandatory reporting would not be a tool in combating child sexual abuse. This Government thinks it is timely to review the position and reassess the Government’s position on mandatory reporting. There are arguments for and against mandatory reporting. I have called for an independent review of the effectiveness of mandatory reporting in the States in which it is a legislative requirement. I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
I welcome that probing question from the member for Cockburn dealing with a sensitive issue that challenges each State in this nation. Western Australia is the only State without some form of legislative requirement for mandatory reporting. That does not necessarily mean that is wrong or right. The last major review of this issue was in 1986-87 when the State determined that mandatory reporting would not be a tool in combating child sexual abuse. This Government thinks it is timely to review the position and reassess the Government’s position on mandatory reporting. There are arguments for and against mandatory reporting. I have called for an independent review of the effectiveness of mandatory reporting in the States in which it is a legislative requirement. I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
Ms McHALE replied: This feels like a hat-trick. I welcome that probing question from the member for Cockburn dealing with a sensitive issue that challenges each State in this nation. Western Australia is the only State without some form of legislative requirement for mandatory reporting. That does not necessarily mean that is wrong or right. The last major review of this issue was in 1986-87 when the State determined that mandatory reporting would not be a tool in combating child sexual abuse. This Government thinks it is timely to review the position and reassess the Government’s position on mandatory reporting. There are arguments for and against mandatory reporting. I have called for an independent review of the effectiveness of mandatory reporting in the States in which it is a legislative requirement. I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
This feels like a hat-trick. I welcome that probing question from the member for Cockburn dealing with a sensitive issue that challenges each State in this nation. Western Australia is the only State without some form of legislative requirement for mandatory reporting. That does not necessarily mean that is wrong or right. The last major review of this issue was in 1986-87 when the State determined that mandatory reporting would not be a tool in combating child sexual abuse. This Government thinks it is timely to review the position and reassess the Government’s position on mandatory reporting. There are arguments for and against mandatory reporting. I have called for an independent review of the effectiveness of mandatory reporting in the States in which it is a legislative requirement. I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
I welcome that probing question from the member for Cockburn dealing with a sensitive issue that challenges each State in this nation. Western Australia is the only State without some form of legislative requirement for mandatory reporting. That does not necessarily mean that is wrong or right. The last major review of this issue was in 1986-87 when the State determined that mandatory reporting would not be a tool in combating child sexual abuse. This Government thinks it is timely to review the position and reassess the Government’s position on mandatory reporting. There are arguments for and against mandatory reporting. I have called for an independent review of the effectiveness of mandatory reporting in the States in which it is a legislative requirement. I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
I have asked the Western Australian Child Protection Council to oversee this review, which will include the examination of relevant reports and models of mandatory reporting, and consultation to obtain a broad view of professional opinion and community understanding on the effectiveness of mandatory reporting as a tool in the management of child sexual abuse. I have also asked for advice on options that might improve on the current system of reporting to ensure that early identification and responses to children at risk are made. I anticipate that this review will be completed within three months of its commencement. Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
Western Australia is the only State without mandatory reporting. It is timely to review the position. The process I have outlined will be a good mechanism for looking at the arguments for and against mandatory reporting, and how we can improve the overall management of child sexual abuse cases.
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