❓ Question raises serious concerns about child protection services, while the Minister's response deflects blame to the previous government and highlights current government's investment and reforms.
AnsweredQoN 681Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the crisis meeting attended by more than 300 Department for Community Development staff on Wednesday, 2 November, at which the following serious concerns were raised: child maltreatment allegations left unallocated; long delays in counselling for children in foster care; three-month deadlines for checking on children in foster care not being met, sometimes taking up to six months; and sexually abused children having 12 or more case workers in two years. What has the minister been doing for the past five years? Ms S.M. McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
I need to explain that Hon Robyn McSweeney was in attendance at that meeting by virtue of her role as chair of the select committee looking into these matters. I can only assume that members in this place are quoting from the very extensive notes of a member of the other house. I want the house to know why opposition members are quoting. I could very easily say that I have already answered this question and then sit down. However, members opposite want to hear the answer once more. I have been correcting the wrongs of the past. Along with the Premier and the Treasurer, I have been correcting the lack of regard for vulnerable children exhibited by the opposition when it held government by virtue of the fact that the previous government put no new money into the department for many years. When the present government was elected, it had a lot of catching up to do. I have already acknowledged to the house that the meeting of 2 November was very useful. I presented information about the government’s achievements and acknowledged that there were pressures on the department. I will say again that the government has been working to correct the wrongs of the past and the injustices that occurred when the Court government ignored the legal rights of children who had been harmed in care. As a result of the government’s audit, we will see more writs being issued, because we are dealing with the wrongs of the past and correcting those. The government has committed $140 million and more than 140 new staff. There has been an injection of new money into child protection. The government has addressed, and will continue to address, issues because it accepts its responsibilities to vulnerable children, and to families who are disadvantaged and disempowered. The government will continue to review the resources of the Department for Community Development and to make sure that the department is resourced. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I need to explain that Hon Robyn McSweeney was in attendance at that meeting by virtue of her role as chair of the select committee looking into these matters. I can only assume that members in this place are quoting from the very extensive notes of a member of the other house. I want the house to know why opposition members are quoting. I could very easily say that I have already answered this question and then sit down. However, members opposite want to hear the answer once more. I have been correcting the wrongs of the past. Along with the Premier and the Treasurer, I have been correcting the lack of regard for vulnerable children exhibited by the opposition when it held government by virtue of the fact that the previous government put no new money into the department for many years. When the present government was elected, it had a lot of catching up to do. I have already acknowledged to the house that the meeting of 2 November was very useful. I presented information about the government’s achievements and acknowledged that there were pressures on the department. I will say again that the government has been working to correct the wrongs of the past and the injustices that occurred when the Court government ignored the legal rights of children who had been harmed in care. As a result of the government’s audit, we will see more writs being issued, because we are dealing with the wrongs of the past and correcting those. The government has committed $140 million and more than 140 new staff. There has been an injection of new money into child protection. The government has addressed, and will continue to address, issues because it accepts its responsibilities to vulnerable children, and to families who are disadvantaged and disempowered. The government will continue to review the resources of the Department for Community Development and to make sure that the department is resourced. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
I need to explain that Hon Robyn McSweeney was in attendance at that meeting by virtue of her role as chair of the select committee looking into these matters. I can only assume that members in this place are quoting from the very extensive notes of a member of the other house. I want the house to know why opposition members are quoting. I could very easily say that I have already answered this question and then sit down. However, members opposite want to hear the answer once more. I have been correcting the wrongs of the past. Along with the Premier and the Treasurer, I have been correcting the lack of regard for vulnerable children exhibited by the opposition when it held government by virtue of the fact that the previous government put no new money into the department for many years. When the present government was elected, it had a lot of catching up to do. I have already acknowledged to the house that the meeting of 2 November was very useful. I presented information about the government’s achievements and acknowledged that there were pressures on the department. I will say again that the government has been working to correct the wrongs of the past and the injustices that occurred when the Court government ignored the legal rights of children who had been harmed in care. As a result of the government’s audit, we will see more writs being issued, because we are dealing with the wrongs of the past and correcting those. The government has committed $140 million and more than 140 new staff. There has been an injection of new money into child protection. The government has addressed, and will continue to address, issues because it accepts its responsibilities to vulnerable children, and to families who are disadvantaged and disempowered. The government will continue to review the resources of the Department for Community Development and to make sure that the department is resourced. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
I could very easily say that I have already answered this question and then sit down. However, members opposite want to hear the answer once more. I have been correcting the wrongs of the past. Along with the Premier and the Treasurer, I have been correcting the lack of regard for vulnerable children exhibited by the opposition when it held government by virtue of the fact that the previous government put no new money into the department for many years. When the present government was elected, it had a lot of catching up to do. I have already acknowledged to the house that the meeting of 2 November was very useful. I presented information about the government’s achievements and acknowledged that there were pressures on the department. I will say again that the government has been working to correct the wrongs of the past and the injustices that occurred when the Court government ignored the legal rights of children who had been harmed in care. As a result of the government’s audit, we will see more writs being issued, because we are dealing with the wrongs of the past and correcting those. The government has committed $140 million and more than 140 new staff. There has been an injection of new money into child protection. The government has addressed, and will continue to address, issues because it accepts its responsibilities to vulnerable children, and to families who are disadvantaged and disempowered. The government will continue to review the resources of the Department for Community Development and to make sure that the department is resourced. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I need to explain that Hon Robyn McSweeney was in attendance at that meeting by virtue of her role as chair of the select committee looking into these matters. I can only assume that members in this place are quoting from the very extensive notes of a member of the other house. I want the house to know why opposition members are quoting. I could very easily say that I have already answered this question and then sit down. However, members opposite want to hear the answer once more. I have been correcting the wrongs of the past. Along with the Premier and the Treasurer, I have been correcting the lack of regard for vulnerable children exhibited by the opposition when it held government by virtue of the fact that the previous government put no new money into the department for many years. When the present government was elected, it had a lot of catching up to do. I have already acknowledged to the house that the meeting of 2 November was very useful. I presented information about the government’s achievements and acknowledged that there were pressures on the department. I will say again that the government has been working to correct the wrongs of the past and the injustices that occurred when the Court government ignored the legal rights of children who had been harmed in care. As a result of the government’s audit, we will see more writs being issued, because we are dealing with the wrongs of the past and correcting those. The government has committed $140 million and more than 140 new staff. There has been an injection of new money into child protection. The government has addressed, and will continue to address, issues because it accepts its responsibilities to vulnerable children, and to families who are disadvantaged and disempowered. The government will continue to review the resources of the Department for Community Development and to make sure that the department is resourced. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
I need to explain that Hon Robyn McSweeney was in attendance at that meeting by virtue of her role as chair of the select committee looking into these matters. I can only assume that members in this place are quoting from the very extensive notes of a member of the other house. I want the house to know why opposition members are quoting. I could very easily say that I have already answered this question and then sit down. However, members opposite want to hear the answer once more. I have been correcting the wrongs of the past. Along with the Premier and the Treasurer, I have been correcting the lack of regard for vulnerable children exhibited by the opposition when it held government by virtue of the fact that the previous government put no new money into the department for many years. When the present government was elected, it had a lot of catching up to do. I have already acknowledged to the house that the meeting of 2 November was very useful. I presented information about the government’s achievements and acknowledged that there were pressures on the department. I will say again that the government has been working to correct the wrongs of the past and the injustices that occurred when the Court government ignored the legal rights of children who had been harmed in care. As a result of the government’s audit, we will see more writs being issued, because we are dealing with the wrongs of the past and correcting those. The government has committed $140 million and more than 140 new staff. There has been an injection of new money into child protection. The government has addressed, and will continue to address, issues because it accepts its responsibilities to vulnerable children, and to families who are disadvantaged and disempowered. The government will continue to review the resources of the Department for Community Development and to make sure that the department is resourced. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
I could very easily say that I have already answered this question and then sit down. However, members opposite want to hear the answer once more. I have been correcting the wrongs of the past. Along with the Premier and the Treasurer, I have been correcting the lack of regard for vulnerable children exhibited by the opposition when it held government by virtue of the fact that the previous government put no new money into the department for many years. When the present government was elected, it had a lot of catching up to do. I have already acknowledged to the house that the meeting of 2 November was very useful. I presented information about the government’s achievements and acknowledged that there were pressures on the department. I will say again that the government has been working to correct the wrongs of the past and the injustices that occurred when the Court government ignored the legal rights of children who had been harmed in care. As a result of the government’s audit, we will see more writs being issued, because we are dealing with the wrongs of the past and correcting those. The government has committed $140 million and more than 140 new staff. There has been an injection of new money into child protection. The government has addressed, and will continue to address, issues because it accepts its responsibilities to vulnerable children, and to families who are disadvantaged and disempowered. The government will continue to review the resources of the Department for Community Development and to make sure that the department is resourced. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Capel and Warren-Blackwood.
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