CHILDREN IN STATE CARE INQUIRY

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:14): Does the Premier's announcement that his government will report back to the parliament on the recommendations of Commissioner Mullighan's inquiry by 19 June 2008 mean that there will be no provision in this year's budget for a secure care therapeutic facility for children at risk? Commissioner Mullighan reports that the department has identified 16 children living in residential units as frequent absconders and considered to be at high risk from sexual exploitation. I have previously brought to the parliament's attention the story of a 14 year old girl who was arrested for shoplifting and who was left at large. Now she is six months pregnant and being held at the children's gaol at Magill, and unless this facility is progressed these children will remain at risk or down at the gaol.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability, Minister Assisting the Premier in Cabinet Business and Public Sector Management) (15:15): The only reason that 19 June has been fixed upon as a date to respond to the recommendations is that it is actually the date contained within the legislation. We are obliged to report back to the parliament by 19 June.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I must say that it would not be necessary to be in the budget if we could build this thing by 19 June because it would be in this fiscal year. I do not actually understand the point that has been raised. We are good, but we cannot build a building inside six weeks. As fast as this government is, we will not be able to respond that quickly.

The recommendations, 54 of them, will require some careful consideration. There is also a provision within the act to actually report back to the parliament within six months, a further six months, about the details of our implementation plan. This is the time scale that you forced on us, and I must say in an unprecedented fashion, for executive government to have in a piece of legislation not only the fact that we have to table something in the parliament within three days but then respond within another few weeks and then report back to the parliament on how we implemented it.

We conceded to those amendments. We conceded to those very tight time lines, because we are were content to meet them, but do not come in here now and complain about the fact that we are meeting the very time lines that you imposed on us, especially about very complex matters. We did take two recommendations and single them out for special and immediate treatment. One was the DPP, the prosecution of these evil offenders, and the other was the apology. We will deal with the balance of the recommendations as quickly as we can, before 19 June if possible, but by no later than 19 June.