❓ A parliamentary question regarding the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from abuse, referencing past failures and seeking assurance under the Minister's watch. The Minister's response acknowledges the issue and assures commitment to safety, referencing a specific government initiative.
AnsweredQoN 509Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CHILDREN - PROTECTION FROM ABUSE
In its 2004-05 annual report, the Child Death Review Committee noted that deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are overrepresented in the cases examined by the committee, as are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients in the Department for Community Development’s client profile. The report also recognises that the average death rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants is three times higher than for other infants. Given the minister’s failure to protect Wade Scale and other children during her time as the Minister for Community Development, what confidence can the people of Western Australia have that children will be protected from abuse, maltreatment and even death under the minister’s watch as Minister for Indigenous Affairs? Ms S.M. McHALE
In its 2004-05 annual report, the Child Death Review Committee noted that deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are overrepresented in the cases examined by the committee, as are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients in the Department for Community Development’s client profile. The report also recognises that the average death rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants is three times higher than for other infants. Given the minister’s failure to protect Wade Scale and other children during her time as the Minister for Community Development, what confidence can the people of Western Australia have that children will be protected from abuse, maltreatment and even death under the minister’s watch as Minister for Indigenous Affairs? Ms S.M. McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question and obvious concern. Aboriginal children are overrepresented in every social indicator of which most of us are aware. They are overrepresented in having contact with the Department for Community Development, suicide and a range of other social indicators. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Child Death Review Committee made such a finding and comment. I can give the community every assurance that this government will do its utmost to work with indigenous and non-indigenous children to make them safe and to deal with children who are at risk. I do not think it is necessary to go into specific examples; suffice to say, the opposition should look at the efforts this government made in relation to the Swan Valley Nyungah Community camp and contrast the efforts made by the opposition to stop us and thwart us in that action.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for her question and obvious concern. Aboriginal children are overrepresented in every social indicator of which most of us are aware. They are overrepresented in having contact with the Department for Community Development, suicide and a range of other social indicators. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Child Death Review Committee made such a finding and comment. I can give the community every assurance that this government will do its utmost to work with indigenous and non-indigenous children to make them safe and to deal with children who are at risk. I do not think it is necessary to go into specific examples; suffice to say, the opposition should look at the efforts this government made in relation to the Swan Valley Nyungah Community camp and contrast the efforts made by the opposition to stop us and thwart us in that action.
I thank the member for her question and obvious concern. Aboriginal children are overrepresented in every social indicator of which most of us are aware. They are overrepresented in having contact with the Department for Community Development, suicide and a range of other social indicators. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Child Death Review Committee made such a finding and comment. I can give the community every assurance that this government will do its utmost to work with indigenous and non-indigenous children to make them safe and to deal with children who are at risk. I do not think it is necessary to go into specific examples; suffice to say, the opposition should look at the efforts this government made in relation to the Swan Valley Nyungah Community camp and contrast the efforts made by the opposition to stop us and thwart us in that action.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for her question and obvious concern. Aboriginal children are overrepresented in every social indicator of which most of us are aware. They are overrepresented in having contact with the Department for Community Development, suicide and a range of other social indicators. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Child Death Review Committee made such a finding and comment. I can give the community every assurance that this government will do its utmost to work with indigenous and non-indigenous children to make them safe and to deal with children who are at risk. I do not think it is necessary to go into specific examples; suffice to say, the opposition should look at the efforts this government made in relation to the Swan Valley Nyungah Community camp and contrast the efforts made by the opposition to stop us and thwart us in that action.
I thank the member for her question and obvious concern. Aboriginal children are overrepresented in every social indicator of which most of us are aware. They are overrepresented in having contact with the Department for Community Development, suicide and a range of other social indicators. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Child Death Review Committee made such a finding and comment. I can give the community every assurance that this government will do its utmost to work with indigenous and non-indigenous children to make them safe and to deal with children who are at risk. I do not think it is necessary to go into specific examples; suffice to say, the opposition should look at the efforts this government made in relation to the Swan Valley Nyungah Community camp and contrast the efforts made by the opposition to stop us and thwart us in that action.
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