❓ Question regarding abandoned children in Laverton and whether similar issues exist in other remote WA communities. The Minister acknowledges the problem, outlines government initiatives, and challenges the opposition to offer solutions.
AnsweredQoN 337Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABANDONED CHILDREN, LAVERTON — GOLDFIELDS–ESPERANCE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REPORT
I have a supplementary question. Noting the report’s observation that no government agency was prepared to take responsibility as the lead agency in this town, has the minister inquired of this development commission and, indeed, other development commissions whether there are similar circumstances in many other towns in the area for which he is responsible? Mr B.J. GRYLLS
I have a supplementary question. Noting the report’s observation that no government agency was prepared to take responsibility as the lead agency in this town, has the minister inquired of this development commission and, indeed, other development commissions whether there are similar circumstances in many other towns in the area for which he is responsible? Mr B.J. GRYLLS
AnswerView source ↗
From what I have seen with my own eyes and from what I have heard, and, I am sure, from what the Leader of the Opposition has seen, I can just about guarantee that that story about Laverton could have been written about many, many communities in remote Western Australia. That is a tragedy. Mr E.S. Ripper : Have you sought further information? No? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: From what I have seen with my own eyes and from what I have heard, and, I am sure, from what the Leader of the Opposition has seen, I can just about guarantee that that story about Laverton could have been written about many, many communities in remote Western Australia. That is a tragedy. Mr E.S. Ripper : Have you sought further information? No? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
From what I have seen with my own eyes and from what I have heard, and, I am sure, from what the Leader of the Opposition has seen, I can just about guarantee that that story about Laverton could have been written about many, many communities in remote Western Australia. That is a tragedy. Mr E.S. Ripper : Have you sought further information? No? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Have you sought further information? No? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: From what I have seen with my own eyes and from what I have heard, and, I am sure, from what the Leader of the Opposition has seen, I can just about guarantee that that story about Laverton could have been written about many, many communities in remote Western Australia. That is a tragedy. Mr E.S. Ripper : Have you sought further information? No? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
From what I have seen with my own eyes and from what I have heard, and, I am sure, from what the Leader of the Opposition has seen, I can just about guarantee that that story about Laverton could have been written about many, many communities in remote Western Australia. That is a tragedy. Mr E.S. Ripper : Have you sought further information? No? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Have you sought further information? No? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : No; I have. I have asked the Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission to start working on solutions rather than just highlighting the problem, which has happened in this case, and to start working on local solutions to those problems. I work very closely with all our development commissions, including Jeff Gooding at the Kimberley Development Commission. Work was started at Warmun before the flood waters had even receded. We are rebuilding the Warmun community. Throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne, in some instances, these issues are intractable. They are shocking. Too many people who work in this area on a daily basis, including police and community support service workers, become almost immune to the shocking nature of these issues. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a problem that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Absolutely there is a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Do you think there is a bureaucratic problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is a problem right across regional Western Australia in Indigenous communities. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : There is absolutely a problem. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The previous Labor government and our government have worked very hard to try to address those problems. Program after program has been put in place. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is there a public sector problem? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Again, Leader of the Opposition, my understanding is that when this report was framed, it was framed with the knowledge of many, many people in that wider community. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is the report’s observation correct that no agency is prepared to be the lead agency, and does that indicate a statewide problem with regard to these types of circumstances? Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : As I have said, the moment that Minister McSweeney became aware of this issue, she had the ability, through the responsible parenting program, to put government support workers into the community. Those workers will now have somewhere to live because they can access the housing funded by the Liberal–National government. They will be able to live in Laverton to support the community. I pay tribute to the members of the local patrol, who have tried to pick up the pieces of some of these broken families in the absence of the level of support that they would like. It now seems that we can put that in place, and we will do that. As I have said in the media, and as I say again in this place now, for not one minute do I say that this is a perfect scenario or that we have all the solutions. Is this a perfect world? In many cases, these are intractable problems. There was a new report from the Goldfields today about young children prostituting themselves with truck drivers, which, again, is yet to be substantiated. It is shock after shock after shock. The government is working hard to try to do better. If the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about this issue as he has shown with his question today, I look forward to him making a suggestion about how some of these intractable problems might be solved. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We did. We built 10 new houses in Laverton so that some support workers could be placed there. The responsible parenting program is being rolled out to give support to families. The youth justice program is being rolled out. Young children and their families will have support services before they get into the justice system so they do not have to spend two days in prison. New initiatives have been rolled out under the last budget, including support for young Aboriginals to get their licences so they can move into the workforce. There are myriad programs; there are thousands of them. The previous government had thousands of them; we have thousands of them. What I am saying is that across all levels of government—federal, state and local—let us acknowledge that, in many cases, the problem is still very, very real and is still very, very shocking. We will continue to do our best to ensure that if there is a problem at an agency level, we address it and that if there is a problem with funding and support, we address it; and that we do everything we can to ensure that young Indigenous children growing up in remote parts of the state have the same opportunities as do the kids who live just down the road.
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