❓ Mr. Johnson questions the Minister about the deployment of 25 additional Child Protection Workers, inquiring about the timeline and reasons for delays. The Minister responds with details on current appointments, future commencement dates, and explanations for recruitment challenges.
AnsweredQoN 2061Legislative Assembly
Asked
24 September 2003
Member
Portfolio
Community Development, Women's Interests, Seniors and Youth
QuestionView source ↗
(b) will the Minister advise when all of the additional 25 Child Protection Workers will be deployed to assist the Department to respond to its growing concern about unaddressed child protection needs in the community; and (c) was it intended that these 25 Child Protection Workers would be available to the Department from the beginning of the 2003 financial year, and if so, why has this not been the case?
(c) was it intended that these 25 Child Protection Workers would be available to the Department from the beginning of the 2003 financial year, and if so, why has this not been the case?
(b) Four additional workers have been appointed and will commence mid to late December 2003. The process for filling one position is currently underway. The remaining five positions have been readvertised, due to lack of suitable candidates. (c) Funding was allocated in 2002/03 budget for 10 positions for 3 months and the 2003/04 budget for 25 positions for 12 months. Advertising of positions was delayed until negotiations with ATSIC regional councils regarding the location, skills and competencies of the officers were completed. Not all positions were filled during the first application round because of a lack of suitable applicants and the remoteness of some of the locations. Apart from one position in Geraldton, the positions yet to be filled are in remote locations, where it is difficult to attract qualified staff.
(c) Funding was allocated in 2002/03 budget for 10 positions for 3 months and the 2003/04 budget for 25 positions for 12 months. Advertising of positions was delayed until negotiations with ATSIC regional councils regarding the location, skills and competencies of the officers were completed. Not all positions were filled during the first application round because of a lack of suitable applicants and the remoteness of some of the locations. Apart from one position in Geraldton, the positions yet to be filled are in remote locations, where it is difficult to attract qualified staff.
(c) was it intended that these 25 Child Protection Workers would be available to the Department from the beginning of the 2003 financial year, and if so, why has this not been the case?
(b) Four additional workers have been appointed and will commence mid to late December 2003. The process for filling one position is currently underway. The remaining five positions have been readvertised, due to lack of suitable candidates. (c) Funding was allocated in 2002/03 budget for 10 positions for 3 months and the 2003/04 budget for 25 positions for 12 months. Advertising of positions was delayed until negotiations with ATSIC regional councils regarding the location, skills and competencies of the officers were completed. Not all positions were filled during the first application round because of a lack of suitable applicants and the remoteness of some of the locations. Apart from one position in Geraldton, the positions yet to be filled are in remote locations, where it is difficult to attract qualified staff.
(c) Funding was allocated in 2002/03 budget for 10 positions for 3 months and the 2003/04 budget for 25 positions for 12 months. Advertising of positions was delayed until negotiations with ATSIC regional councils regarding the location, skills and competencies of the officers were completed. Not all positions were filled during the first application round because of a lack of suitable applicants and the remoteness of some of the locations. Apart from one position in Geraldton, the positions yet to be filled are in remote locations, where it is difficult to attract qualified staff.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 December 2003
Responded by
Minister for Community Development, Women's Interests, Seniors and Youth
Response time
83 days
(a) Fifteen workers have commenced work either in an acting capacity or as a permanent appointment.
(b) Four additional workers have been appointed and will commence mid to late December 2003. The process for filling one position is currently underway. The remaining five positions have been readvertised, due to lack of suitable candidates.
(c) Funding was allocated in 2002/03 budget for 10 positions for 3 months and the 2003/04 budget for 25 positions for 12 months. Advertising of positions was delayed until negotiations with ATSIC regional councils regarding the location, skills and competencies of the officers were completed. Not all positions were filled during the first application round because of a lack of suitable applicants and the remoteness of some of the locations. Apart from one position in Geraldton, the positions yet to be filled are in remote locations, where it is difficult to attract qualified staff.
(b) Four additional workers have been appointed and will commence mid to late December 2003. The process for filling one position is currently underway. The remaining five positions have been readvertised, due to lack of suitable candidates.
(c) Funding was allocated in 2002/03 budget for 10 positions for 3 months and the 2003/04 budget for 25 positions for 12 months. Advertising of positions was delayed until negotiations with ATSIC regional councils regarding the location, skills and competencies of the officers were completed. Not all positions were filled during the first application round because of a lack of suitable applicants and the remoteness of some of the locations. Apart from one position in Geraldton, the positions yet to be filled are in remote locations, where it is difficult to attract qualified staff.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.