CHILD PROTECTION

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (14:55): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. In relation to the staff member who has been the subject of recent questions, why hasn't that staff member been referred to the DPP for prosecution in relation to failure to meet mandatory reporting obligations?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: the question contains a great deal of assertion in it. I would hope that those assertions are correct, and they should not be contained in a question.

Mr GARDNER: Madam Speaker, I was purely referring to the minister's previous answers.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:56): This is a very, very slippery slope.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: No, you are making assumptions about the obligations that she had, and that is incorrect. But what is correct is the fact that the Child Death and Serious Injury Review Committee is all over this issue. The second thing I can report is that this officer, I believe, in 2009 left the public sector. So, you are making assumptions about the obligations of this officer; I am not sure that they are correct, but what I am sure about is that the committee will get to the point of this and if there is any relevance here.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, minister. I was going to refer back to that question, but you did choose to answer it—and I think it was appropriate that you did—quickly.