EDUCATION AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES DEPARTMENT, KPMG REPORT

Mr PISONI (Unley) (16:19): My question is again to the Minister for Education. Why, after nine years of this Labor government, are staff within the DECS investigations unit not qualified nor experienced in undertaking investigations? The same KPMG report (commissioned for the department) recommends reviewing job descriptions within the investigations unit to ensure staff have law enforcement and investigative backgrounds.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Education, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (16:20): I am now getting to where the member for Unley is reaching. We commissioned a report into the way in which investigations of misconduct by teachers in our education system occur. I must say, in taking an interest in this matter, I have drawn on some of my own personal experience as a representative of teachers in my former life as a labour lawyer and I think this is a fair criticism of the education department.

What has happened for far too long is that investigation processes have been too lengthy and gone on for such an enormous length of time that, by the end of the process, even if someone is exonerated, there is such an enormous toll to be taken by the teacher that it is very difficult for them to return to the teaching profession.

I have seen plenty of evidence where very quick investigations could be undertaken without all the palaver that seems to go on that makes these investigations stretch on for a long period of time. I do agree that the quality of the investigations has not been up to scratch. It is one of the things that I am very determined to fix while in this role.

Sure, the KPMG report was commissioned. I think it has done a strong body of work. It is all directed at getting speedy investigations into complaints of misconduct concerning teachers. It is manifestly in the public interest that that is done quickly and effectively. It is in the interests of the teachers in question that those things are investigated quickly and effectively and, now I have the recommendations, they are under consideration and I will be acting upon them.