❓ A parliamentary question regarding the appointment of an independent commissioner for children in WA, referencing the Gordon inquiry and actions in other jurisdictions. The Minister acknowledges awareness but defends the government's prioritisation of resources towards frontline child protection services, particularly in Aboriginal communities, while criticising the opposition's past inaction.
AnsweredQoN 798Legislative Assembly
Asked
11 June 2003
Member
Portfolio
Community Development, Women’s Interests, Seniors and Youth
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Government’s continual refusal to endorse the Gordon inquiry’s recommendation to appoint an independent commissioner for children to provide a significant focus on the rights and needs of children and with the capacity to make independent comment on systems to protect and support children. (1) Is the minister aware that the pre-budget submission of the Western Australian Council of Social Service called for the appointment of a commissioner for children? (2) Is the minister further aware that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission has called for the appointment of a commissioner for children? (3) Is the minister aware that Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania, in addition to at least 19 countries around the world, have appointed a specific office of commissioner for children? (4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(1) Is the minister aware that the pre-budget submission of the Western Australian Council of Social Service called for the appointment of a commissioner for children? (2) Is the minister further aware that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission has called for the appointment of a commissioner for children? (3) Is the minister aware that Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania, in addition to at least 19 countries around the world, have appointed a specific office of commissioner for children? (4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(2) Is the minister further aware that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission has called for the appointment of a commissioner for children? (3) Is the minister aware that Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania, in addition to at least 19 countries around the world, have appointed a specific office of commissioner for children? (4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(3) Is the minister aware that Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania, in addition to at least 19 countries around the world, have appointed a specific office of commissioner for children? (4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(1) Is the minister aware that the pre-budget submission of the Western Australian Council of Social Service called for the appointment of a commissioner for children? (2) Is the minister further aware that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission has called for the appointment of a commissioner for children? (3) Is the minister aware that Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania, in addition to at least 19 countries around the world, have appointed a specific office of commissioner for children? (4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(2) Is the minister further aware that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission has called for the appointment of a commissioner for children? (3) Is the minister aware that Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania, in addition to at least 19 countries around the world, have appointed a specific office of commissioner for children? (4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(3) Is the minister aware that Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania, in addition to at least 19 countries around the world, have appointed a specific office of commissioner for children? (4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(4) Will the minister confirm that the current federal Labor Party leader has recently announced the introduction of legislation into federal Parliament to appoint a commissioner for children? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
(1)-(4) Yes. I will make a few remarks. The Premier and I have made the Government’s position on a children’s commissioner very clear. It was one of the recommendations of the Gordon inquiry in a total of 197 recommendations, most of which we are very focused on implementing. I will say two things about a children’s commissioner. This Government has never said that it will not introduce legislation to appoint a children’s commissioner. We have said that our essential resources must be focused on and tunnelled into the most important pressing needs, which are more resources and more child protection workers to work with Aboriginal communities to ensure that we get right down onto the ground to find out what the communities themselves need. Decade after decade previous Governments went into Aboriginal communities and said that they knew better how to handle them. This Government knows that it must work differently in order to deal with the social issues in those communities. I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
I point out the hypocrisy of the Opposition. When in government it refused to introduce a children’s commission and mandatory reporting. As do many Oppositions, it can carp as much as it likes. However, we are doing things that this Opposition never did when in government. We have increased foster care subsidies and funding for children in care. We have appointed 50 new workers. Not one new worker was appointed in the eight years we were in opposition. We have implemented a new information system. We put forward new children’s legislation, for which eight drafts had been prepared before we came into government. We passed adoption legislation the Government of members opposite would never have touched because it was too difficult. We confront the difficult social issues, whereas this Opposition puts its head in the sand. We are proud of our social record. These social problems have been around for decades; they will not be fixed overnight. We are deadly serious about confronting issues of child abuse and violence in the home, but we recognise the reality of the community. These problems have been around for a long time, and we are working systematically with Aboriginal communities, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and others to deal with them effectively.
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