❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Child Protection about under-resourcing and industrial action in the child protection sector, contrasting it with pay for CFMEU workers. The Minister responds by highlighting government investment and support for child protection workers and foster carers.
AnsweredQoN 480Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD PROTECTION WORKERS — INDUSTRIAL ACTION
480. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the closure of child
protection offices to protest the government's under-resourcing of the
child protection sector, and comments from workers that mental health is not a priority,
workers are underpaid for the work they do and the stress it causes, and that
nothing is fixing the ongoing systemic issues that workers have to deal with.
(1) Does the minister support CFMEU workers being paid
25 per cent more when working on state government projects while workers
in the minister's child protection agency are going on strike due to
underpayment and the minister's inability to deliver the resources they
need?
(2) Is child protection not a priority
of this government?
The SPEAKER : Before I give
the Minister for Child Protection the call, the first part of the first
question is out of order. It does not
pertain to this minister's portfolio area. The member can only ask
ministers about their portfolio area, not about industrial relations and
not about payments in other sectors of the community.
480. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the closure of child
protection offices to protest the government's under-resourcing of the
child protection sector, and comments from workers that mental health is not a priority,
workers are underpaid for the work they do and the stress it causes, and that
nothing is fixing the ongoing systemic issues that workers have to deal with.
(1) Does the minister support CFMEU workers being paid
25 per cent more when working on state government projects while workers
in the minister's child protection agency are going on strike due to
underpayment and the minister's inability to deliver the resources they
need?
(2) Is child protection not a priority
of this government?
The SPEAKER : Before I give
the Minister for Child Protection the call, the first part of the first
question is out of order. It does not
pertain to this minister's portfolio area. The member can only ask
ministers about their portfolio area, not about industrial relations and
not about payments in other sectors of the community.
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
welcome the opportunity to speak about child protection workers in this state
and the incredible job they do each and every day. Since I became minister, it
has been my great privilege to travel around the state and I have had
conversations with hundreds of child protection staff about the extraordinary
work that they do. It is challenging, difficult and complex work, and they do
an incredible job. I remind the house that we value child protection workers
and the critical work they do. At the heart of what we believe in and what we
prioritise is keeping children safe. Child protection workers are critical to
that work. That is why since coming into government in 2017 we have increased
the workforce to 225 full-time equivalent workers. That is a 30 per cent
increase in the workforce. Members, I acknowledge that they work in challenging
environments, and that is why we continue to roll out further programs that
work to support, retain and attract people, particularly in the regions.
I am happy to highlight our regional
workforce, as I have done in the house before, and the attraction and retention
initiative of $3.7 million that is particularly focused on supporting child
protection workers in regional and remote areas, where we know they do
critically important work. We have spent $1.4 million to address safety
concerns by installing worker safety devices in Halls Creek, Geraldton, Midland
and Broome. Of course, a critical part of the work that I am focused on is
listening to child protection workers and what they need. What I hear
overwhelmingly from them is that we need to focus on and support placements for children in care. That is why,
since I have been minister, we have had a focus on celebrating ,
encouraging and valuing foster and family carers in this state.
We have done a significant amount of
work because we know that carers, in partnership with child protection workers and/or the various services and
early intervention programs, play a critical collaborative role in
keeping children and families safe in this state.
Members, I am very proud of our
record on this side when it comes to supporting vulnerable children and
families in this state. There is no more important cohort than the child
protection workers who get up, show up and do incredible work right throughout
our state every single day.
welcome the opportunity to speak about child protection workers in this state
and the incredible job they do each and every day. Since I became minister, it
has been my great privilege to travel around the state and I have had
conversations with hundreds of child protection staff about the extraordinary
work that they do. It is challenging, difficult and complex work, and they do
an incredible job. I remind the house that we value child protection workers
and the critical work they do. At the heart of what we believe in and what we
prioritise is keeping children safe. Child protection workers are critical to
that work. That is why since coming into government in 2017 we have increased
the workforce to 225 full-time equivalent workers. That is a 30 per cent
increase in the workforce. Members, I acknowledge that they work in challenging
environments, and that is why we continue to roll out further programs that
work to support, retain and attract people, particularly in the regions.
I am happy to highlight our regional
workforce, as I have done in the house before, and the attraction and retention
initiative of $3.7 million that is particularly focused on supporting child
protection workers in regional and remote areas, where we know they do
critically important work. We have spent $1.4 million to address safety
concerns by installing worker safety devices in Halls Creek, Geraldton, Midland
and Broome. Of course, a critical part of the work that I am focused on is
listening to child protection workers and what they need. What I hear
overwhelmingly from them is that we need to focus on and support placements for children in care. That is why,
since I have been minister, we have had a focus on celebrating ,
encouraging and valuing foster and family carers in this state.
We have done a significant amount of
work because we know that carers, in partnership with child protection workers and/or the various services and
early intervention programs, play a critical collaborative role in
keeping children and families safe in this state.
Members, I am very proud of our
record on this side when it comes to supporting vulnerable children and
families in this state. There is no more important cohort than the child
protection workers who get up, show up and do incredible work right throughout
our state every single day.
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