❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for Education and Training regarding a pepper-spraying incident involving a Millen Primary School student, the handling of the subsequent complaint, and the staffing and responsibilities of the Standards and Integrity Directorate.
AnsweredQoN 4758Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Regarding the incident of a school student of Millen Primary School, in June 2006 who was pepper sprayed and arrested by Western Australian Police, I ask -
(1) Is the Minister aware that Aboriginal Legal Service Western Australia (ALSWA) made a formal complaint about the incident to the then Minister on 19 June 2006?
(2) What were Canning District Director Stephen Baxter’s reasons for dismissing the complaint?
(3) What action has been taken by the Department in relation to this complaint and/or the outcome of the investigation?
(4) How many of the 28 projected staff for the Standards and Integrity Directorate have been employed?
(5) When is the Minister expecting to reach full employment for this unit?
(6) Will the unit have the brief to review the mismanaged cases outlined in the 2006 Corruption and Crime Commission report on ‘Sexual Contact with Children by Persons in Authority in the Department of Education and Training of Western Australia’ (DET)?
(7) If no to (6), why not?
(8) Will the Unit review the investigation conducted in this case?
(9) Is it true that three of four staff who handled this complaint left the Department after the complaints mismanagement scandal, and the fourth who was questioned at the hearings, is still employed at the DET?
(10) If no to (8), will the Minister direct the Department to review the investigation into this case because of the public interest in safety of children at school?
(11) How is the Department ensuring that the voices of the child, the parents and guardians are heard in a complaint process?
(1) Is the Minister aware that Aboriginal Legal Service Western Australia (ALSWA) made a formal complaint about the incident to the then Minister on 19 June 2006?
(2) What were Canning District Director Stephen Baxter’s reasons for dismissing the complaint?
(3) What action has been taken by the Department in relation to this complaint and/or the outcome of the investigation?
(4) How many of the 28 projected staff for the Standards and Integrity Directorate have been employed?
(5) When is the Minister expecting to reach full employment for this unit?
(6) Will the unit have the brief to review the mismanaged cases outlined in the 2006 Corruption and Crime Commission report on ‘Sexual Contact with Children by Persons in Authority in the Department of Education and Training of Western Australia’ (DET)?
(7) If no to (6), why not?
(8) Will the Unit review the investigation conducted in this case?
(9) Is it true that three of four staff who handled this complaint left the Department after the complaints mismanagement scandal, and the fourth who was questioned at the hearings, is still employed at the DET?
(10) If no to (8), will the Minister direct the Department to review the investigation into this case because of the public interest in safety of children at school?
(11) How is the Department ensuring that the voices of the child, the parents and guardians are heard in a complaint process?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 June 2007
Responded by
Minister for Local Government representing the Minister for Education and Training
Response time
49 days
(5) Staff will be employed progressively from May 2007 as recruitment, selection and appointment processes are completed for each position. (6) These cases were reviewed during the CCC investigation and formed part of the Department's response to the CCC report. As procedures are reviewed in the formation of the new Professional Standards and Conduct Division, aspects of the cases in question will be used to inform new processes with a view to avoiding the occurrence of similar problems in the future. (7) These cases have already been reviewed by the Department. (8) No. (9) No. (10) No. (11) The Standards and Integrity Directorate contains a Parent Advocacy and Liaison Officer. Amongst other things, the role of this position is to advocate for individuals, promote self-advocacy and liaise with parents, carers and DET staff in order to facilitate effective resolution of complaints within the Department.
(10) No. (11) The Standards and Integrity Directorate contains a Parent Advocacy and Liaison Officer. Amongst other things, the role of this position is to advocate for individuals, promote self-advocacy and liaise with parents, carers and DET staff in order to facilitate effective resolution of complaints within the Department.
(10) No. (11) The Standards and Integrity Directorate contains a Parent Advocacy and Liaison Officer. Amongst other things, the role of this position is to advocate for individuals, promote self-advocacy and liaise with parents, carers and DET staff in order to facilitate effective resolution of complaints within the Department.
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