❓ Mr. Rundle questions the delay in deciding the future of St Andrew's Hostel site, given past community consultation. The Minister reveals the hostel will be demolished, citing initial victim preference and later requests from Mr. Rundle and the Shire of Katanning to explore alternative uses.
AnsweredQoN 494Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ST ANDREW'S HOSTEL, KATANNING
494. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the recent calls to the
minister and his department by advocates of the survivors of the St Andrew's
Hostel in Katanning to make a decision and confirm the future of the building
and the site. Given that the minister's consultation with the community
and stakeholders concluded around a year ago, is it not time to enlighten
everyone about the future of the site?
494. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the recent calls to the
minister and his department by advocates of the survivors of the St Andrew's
Hostel in Katanning to make a decision and confirm the future of the building
and the site. Given that the minister's consultation with the community
and stakeholders concluded around a year ago, is it not time to enlighten
everyone about the future of the site?
AnswerView source ↗
This is an incredibly sensitive
issue. I am little bit surprised by the question from the member, and I will
explain why. As members know, St Andrew's Hostel has a dark history. It
was closed in 2009 after there were allegations exposing historical
institutional abuse between 1977 and 1990, and then there was the Blaxell
inquiry. When the building was transferred to the Department of Education, the
department undertook consultation and provided a report. Before the conclusion of that report, it was always thought
that the victims would want the hostel demolished . That is always what I
thought. I received representation from your good self, member for Roe, and
also from the Shire of Katanning, asking us not to make that decision. It was
very clear: ''We want to use those buildings. Please don't demolish
the buildings. We think we could make use of them.'' The member for Roe
was part of that. The member has come in here today—I was very
surprised by the tone of his question; I did not think that would be the tone of it—and tried to blame us for
not making a decision. In good faith, I sat down with the council, as the
member very well knows, and said that the views of the victims would always be
paramount but that we were prepared to be involved in the mitigation
process, if need be, to see whether an amicable solution could be found for
both parties. It has become clear that that is not possible. I will let the
house know today that we will be demolishing St Andrew's Hostel. After
consultation with the victims, we hope to be able to erect a physical monument
as a testament to the suffering that those victims endure. I want to make sure
that members know that the reason the decision was delayed is that the member
for Roe and the shire came to me and made representations to not demolish the
hostel.
issue. I am little bit surprised by the question from the member, and I will
explain why. As members know, St Andrew's Hostel has a dark history. It
was closed in 2009 after there were allegations exposing historical
institutional abuse between 1977 and 1990, and then there was the Blaxell
inquiry. When the building was transferred to the Department of Education, the
department undertook consultation and provided a report. Before the conclusion of that report, it was always thought
that the victims would want the hostel demolished . That is always what I
thought. I received representation from your good self, member for Roe, and
also from the Shire of Katanning, asking us not to make that decision. It was
very clear: ''We want to use those buildings. Please don't demolish
the buildings. We think we could make use of them.'' The member for Roe
was part of that. The member has come in here today—I was very
surprised by the tone of his question; I did not think that would be the tone of it—and tried to blame us for
not making a decision. In good faith, I sat down with the council, as the
member very well knows, and said that the views of the victims would always be
paramount but that we were prepared to be involved in the mitigation
process, if need be, to see whether an amicable solution could be found for
both parties. It has become clear that that is not possible. I will let the
house know today that we will be demolishing St Andrew's Hostel. After
consultation with the victims, we hope to be able to erect a physical monument
as a testament to the suffering that those victims endure. I want to make sure
that members know that the reason the decision was delayed is that the member
for Roe and the shire came to me and made representations to not demolish the
hostel.
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