❓ Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Attorney General regarding the government's commitment to recommendations from the Blaxell report concerning the Commissioner for Children and Young People's role in child abuse complaints support. The Attorney General affirms in-principle support, pending the Royal Commission's findings.
AnsweredQoN 691Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
BLAXELL INQUIRY — RECOMMENDATIONS
691. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the Attorney General:
I refer to the Attorney General's
statement to Parliament on 20 August 2014 on the functions of the Commissioner
for Children and Young People, and in particular the recommendation contained
in the statutory review of the act about what amendments to the act are
necessary to enable the commissioner to perform a child abuse complaints
support function, as recommended by the Blaxell report of the St Andrew's
Hostel special inquiry.
(1) Did the
government give in-principle support to the review's recommendations
that the commissioner's role should consist of developing education and
outreach programs for children and young people about how to disclose child
abuse; receiving complaints from children and young people or adults acting in
good faith on their behalf about alleged child abuse and referring such
complaints to the relevant investigative authority or authorities; providing
information and referrals to children and young people in relation to the
support services available for victims of child abuse and their families; and
monitoring the way government agencies deal with complaints of child abuse?
(2) Does the
Premier's statement last week that, on further examination within
government, ''we believe that that would not be an improvement in the
reporting of child abuse'' mean that the government has walked away from
this in-principle support of the Blaxell recommendation?
691. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the Attorney General:
I refer to the Attorney General's
statement to Parliament on 20 August 2014 on the functions of the Commissioner
for Children and Young People, and in particular the recommendation contained
in the statutory review of the act about what amendments to the act are
necessary to enable the commissioner to perform a child abuse complaints
support function, as recommended by the Blaxell report of the St Andrew's
Hostel special inquiry.
(1) Did the
government give in-principle support to the review's recommendations
that the commissioner's role should consist of developing education and
outreach programs for children and young people about how to disclose child
abuse; receiving complaints from children and young people or adults acting in
good faith on their behalf about alleged child abuse and referring such
complaints to the relevant investigative authority or authorities; providing
information and referrals to children and young people in relation to the
support services available for victims of child abuse and their families; and
monitoring the way government agencies deal with complaints of child abuse?
(2) Does the
Premier's statement last week that, on further examination within
government, ''we believe that that would not be an improvement in the
reporting of child abuse'' mean that the government has walked away from
this in-principle support of the Blaxell recommendation?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of this question.
(1) Yes.
(2) No. The
government gave in-principle support to the Commissioner for Children and Young
People having a role in the provision of a child abuse complaints support role,
as recommended by the review of the Commissioner of Children and Young People
Act 2006. The exact nature of that role will be determined following any
findings or recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child
Sexual Abuse.
some notice of this question.
(1) Yes.
(2) No. The
government gave in-principle support to the Commissioner for Children and Young
People having a role in the provision of a child abuse complaints support role,
as recommended by the review of the Commissioner of Children and Young People
Act 2006. The exact nature of that role will be determined following any
findings or recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child
Sexual Abuse.
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