❓ Question alleges deceptive staffing practices at the Midland DCD office, with the Minister responding by highlighting increased funding and resources under the current government and criticising the previous government's resourcing of the department.
AnsweredQoN 614Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - MIDLAND STAFF
I refer to the continuing crisis in the Department for Community Development. (1) Will the minister confirm that at the Midland DCD office, which has 57 full-time equivalent staff and 10 contractors, three contractors have now been given FTE status to make it look as though numbers are being bolstered to 60, when in fact the three staff removed from the contracting pool have not been replaced? (2) Will the minister concede that this is a disgraceful attempt to make the resourcing of the office look better on paper, without delivering any real change for DCD clients? (3) Will the minister guarantee that any additional staff employed by DCD will be a real increase over and above the current number of FTE and contract staff, and not a devious paper shuffle to switch those contracted staff to FTE status so that they are “on the books”? Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN
I refer to the continuing crisis in the Department for Community Development. (1) Will the minister confirm that at the Midland DCD office, which has 57 full-time equivalent staff and 10 contractors, three contractors have now been given FTE status to make it look as though numbers are being bolstered to 60, when in fact the three staff removed from the contracting pool have not been replaced? (2) Will the minister concede that this is a disgraceful attempt to make the resourcing of the office look better on paper, without delivering any real change for DCD clients? (3) Will the minister guarantee that any additional staff employed by DCD will be a real increase over and above the current number of FTE and contract staff, and not a devious paper shuffle to switch those contracted staff to FTE status so that they are “on the books”? Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
(1) Will the minister confirm that at the Midland DCD office, which has 57 full-time equivalent staff and 10 contractors, three contractors have now been given FTE status to make it look as though numbers are being bolstered to 60, when in fact the three staff removed from the contracting pool have not been replaced? (2) Will the minister concede that this is a disgraceful attempt to make the resourcing of the office look better on paper, without delivering any real change for DCD clients? (3) Will the minister guarantee that any additional staff employed by DCD will be a real increase over and above the current number of FTE and contract staff, and not a devious paper shuffle to switch those contracted staff to FTE status so that they are “on the books”? Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN replied: I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
(2) Will the minister concede that this is a disgraceful attempt to make the resourcing of the office look better on paper, without delivering any real change for DCD clients? (3) Will the minister guarantee that any additional staff employed by DCD will be a real increase over and above the current number of FTE and contract staff, and not a devious paper shuffle to switch those contracted staff to FTE status so that they are “on the books”? Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN replied: I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
(3) Will the minister guarantee that any additional staff employed by DCD will be a real increase over and above the current number of FTE and contract staff, and not a devious paper shuffle to switch those contracted staff to FTE status so that they are “on the books”? Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN replied: I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN replied: I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
(1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
(1) Will the minister confirm that at the Midland DCD office, which has 57 full-time equivalent staff and 10 contractors, three contractors have now been given FTE status to make it look as though numbers are being bolstered to 60, when in fact the three staff removed from the contracting pool have not been replaced? (2) Will the minister concede that this is a disgraceful attempt to make the resourcing of the office look better on paper, without delivering any real change for DCD clients? (3) Will the minister guarantee that any additional staff employed by DCD will be a real increase over and above the current number of FTE and contract staff, and not a devious paper shuffle to switch those contracted staff to FTE status so that they are “on the books”? Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN replied: I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
(2) Will the minister concede that this is a disgraceful attempt to make the resourcing of the office look better on paper, without delivering any real change for DCD clients? (3) Will the minister guarantee that any additional staff employed by DCD will be a real increase over and above the current number of FTE and contract staff, and not a devious paper shuffle to switch those contracted staff to FTE status so that they are “on the books”? Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN replied: I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
(3) Will the minister guarantee that any additional staff employed by DCD will be a real increase over and above the current number of FTE and contract staff, and not a devious paper shuffle to switch those contracted staff to FTE status so that they are “on the books”? Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN replied: I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN replied: I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
I thank the member for Nedlands for her question. I enjoy getting questions from the member for Nedlands. (1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
(1)-(3) It is interesting to note that the Premier today, and he and I in the past few weeks, have been continually highlighting to the opposition the pathetic resourcing of the department during its eight years in government. The Premier and I have highlighted that in a number of speeches and answers to questions. The number of staff employed by the department under this government has continued to increase, and the amount of funding to the department in terms of actual resources has continued to increase. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
The SPEAKER : Order! I ask the minister to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Capel and Nedlands. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In the last budget a record $140 million was delivered to the Department for Community Development. Those resources are now being delivered into areas of need, including Midland. I visited the Midland office and met and talked with the staff directly. A very good member of the Midland staff attended a rally today at Parliament House. She spoke very clearly and effectively about the circumstances that the department has faced for a number of years. As members of the DCD staff have acknowledged today, the announcement in the budget, and certainly the additional $50 million that was announced on Monday, will continue to boost the resources of this department. Those resources are real resources, they are real people on the ground, they are real caseworkers, they are real fieldworkers and they are real team leaders. Those resources are being and will be delivered to the department. They will be delivered to Midland and to the metropolitan and regional offices in Western Australia where they are needed. It is clear that this government, unlike members opposite who did nothing when they were in government for eight years, is delivering real resources to the department. We will keep on doing it. The government did it in the record $140 million allocation in the budget, and on Monday we announced an extra $50 million allocation. The review that Prudence Ford is heading will examine very closely the structure and functions of the department, so that it can continue to improve and delivery quality child protection in the state.
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