SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND BULLYING

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:16): My question is again to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Why did it take the minister's office nearly two weeks to contact the Birdwood High School bashing victim's family, that contact being only an acknowledgement of the father's email and only after the opposition raised it in the media?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:16): We have sought to make contact with Mr Miller—

Mrs Redmond: Be careful, he is here.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Well, that's fine, and I am very happy to meet with him after question time. I am available to do that. As I said, I take very, very seriously the reports and the experiences of his son. We did receive Mr Miller's email. We took that seriously. Of course—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —at the time that it was being received we were seeking advice and it was being investigated. I have to quote from Mr Miller's email, when he said—and I think he is very reasonable; I haven't met him, but I am looking forward to it—'I visited Birdwood High School today and, despite some minor issues, I believe that they have carried out the appropriate procedure as it stands.'

I have to say, I apologise to Mr Miller: the school should have called the police. They should have called the police. The policy says they should have; they did not. I am very, very disappointed about that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!