❓ Mrs. Harvey questions the Premier regarding failures in the Working With Children Check system, highlighted by a recent Auditor General's report and a specific incident in the South West Football League. The Premier acknowledges the failure and emphasizes the importance of the system's effective operation.
AnsweredQoN 981Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WORKING WITH CHILDREN
CHECKS — BREACHES
981. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I refer to the deeply concerning
front page of The West Australian and the concerning revelations in the
recently tabled Auditor General's report. Does the Premier accept that
it is now completely unacceptable for anyone to be working with children unless
they have been already vetted and approved for a working with children check?
CHECKS — BREACHES
981. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I refer to the deeply concerning
front page of The West Australian and the concerning revelations in the
recently tabled Auditor General's report. Does the Premier accept that
it is now completely unacceptable for anyone to be working with children unless
they have been already vetted and approved for a working with children check?
AnswerView source ↗
The working with children check
legislation has been around since the Carpenter government introduced it into
2006 or 2007. It is designed to ensure that people in those environments,
whether voluntary or employed, where they work with children, as coaches or the
like, receive the appropriate checking on whether they have a criminal
conviction that might relate to children or they have been charged with an offence
that might relate to children. Clearly, in the case publicised today, there was
a failure to obtain the check by the South West Football League. I think the association assumed that the
individual involved had received the check. I think it has acknowledged that a mistake was made. We want to make sure
that the system works effectively. Hopefully, in the future, organisations like the South West Football League, which I think has made a mistake, will
rectify the situation.
legislation has been around since the Carpenter government introduced it into
2006 or 2007. It is designed to ensure that people in those environments,
whether voluntary or employed, where they work with children, as coaches or the
like, receive the appropriate checking on whether they have a criminal
conviction that might relate to children or they have been charged with an offence
that might relate to children. Clearly, in the case publicised today, there was
a failure to obtain the check by the South West Football League. I think the association assumed that the
individual involved had received the check. I think it has acknowledged that a mistake was made. We want to make sure
that the system works effectively. Hopefully, in the future, organisations like the South West Football League, which I think has made a mistake, will
rectify the situation.
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