❓ Ms. Davies questions the Minister for Child Protection regarding under-resourcing in the Kimberley region, specifically the lack of additional caseworkers. The Minister defends the government's record, highlighting increased staffing since 2017 and criticising the previous government's efforts.
AnsweredQoN 137Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD
PROTECTION — CASEWORKERS
137. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Child Protection:
I have a supplementary
question. Can I take it from the minister's answer that she will not be
providing an additional 200 child protection workers and that areas like
the Kimberley will continue to be under-resourced and stretched while
supporting these young and vulnerable people?
PROTECTION — CASEWORKERS
137. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Child Protection:
I have a supplementary
question. Can I take it from the minister's answer that she will not be
providing an additional 200 child protection workers and that areas like
the Kimberley will continue to be under-resourced and stretched while
supporting these young and vulnerable people?
AnswerView source ↗
I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is being
wilfully ignorant or is just plain ignorant of how the child protection system
works. The child protection system in Western Australia, as with other states
around Australia and in comparable jurisdictions,
is not there to look after every single child in the state. That is not its job .
Its job is very specific; under the Children and Community Services Act it has
a specific remit. Having said that, there have been cases when police have
notified the child protection workforce in the Kimberley of young people out of
Operation Regional Shield, and we will continue to work to follow up those
cases. We continue to operate cooperatively across government agencies to
deliver for regional communities, including the Kimberley.
I
reiterate: since coming to office in 2017, the McGowan government has put in
place over 200 FTE. I think depending on whether we are talking about
case-carrying or child protection staff. Case-carrying staff, 202 FTE have been
added to the child protection staff. That is vastly different from the number
of staff the former government put in place. It was a pathetic addition.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
Ms S.F. McGURK : I am proud
of the extra contributions that we have made and the resources we have added to
the child protection workforce and to early intervention and working in
partnership with Aboriginal community–controlled organisations. I am
proud of some of the specific programs like Target 120. I notice that none of
these issues magically dissolved
while the Leader of the Opposition was in office for eight and a half years;
they did not magically go away.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
member!
Ms S.F. McGURK : These issues
are not new. They are years in the making and we will work cooperatively with
other government agencies and with the community to get good outcomes for the
Kimberley and other areas in regional Western Australia.
wilfully ignorant or is just plain ignorant of how the child protection system
works. The child protection system in Western Australia, as with other states
around Australia and in comparable jurisdictions,
is not there to look after every single child in the state. That is not its job .
Its job is very specific; under the Children and Community Services Act it has
a specific remit. Having said that, there have been cases when police have
notified the child protection workforce in the Kimberley of young people out of
Operation Regional Shield, and we will continue to work to follow up those
cases. We continue to operate cooperatively across government agencies to
deliver for regional communities, including the Kimberley.
I
reiterate: since coming to office in 2017, the McGowan government has put in
place over 200 FTE. I think depending on whether we are talking about
case-carrying or child protection staff. Case-carrying staff, 202 FTE have been
added to the child protection staff. That is vastly different from the number
of staff the former government put in place. It was a pathetic addition.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
Ms S.F. McGURK : I am proud
of the extra contributions that we have made and the resources we have added to
the child protection workforce and to early intervention and working in
partnership with Aboriginal community–controlled organisations. I am
proud of some of the specific programs like Target 120. I notice that none of
these issues magically dissolved
while the Leader of the Opposition was in office for eight and a half years;
they did not magically go away.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
member!
Ms S.F. McGURK : These issues
are not new. They are years in the making and we will work cooperatively with
other government agencies and with the community to get good outcomes for the
Kimberley and other areas in regional Western Australia.
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