CHILD PROTECTION

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:35): My question is again to the Premier. Was the Premier advised of any so-called critical incidents during his time as education minister and, if so, which ones?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! It's a very wide-ranging question, leader.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:36): The question I think displays a lack of experience about government and the circumstances—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs REDMOND: Point of order: the question was not about any commentary about this side of the chamber. It was about whether—

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

Mrs REDMOND: —he has been advised of critical incidents on the basis that if he hasn't heard about the rape—

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

Mrs REDMOND: —of an eight year old at a school then what has he heard about?

The SPEAKER: Leader, this is not an opportunity to make a speech yourself. The Premier is very aware of the question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The tone with which the Leader of the Opposition is prosecuting this matter is precisely the opposite of the way in which the parents and the school community want this matter dealt with.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The tone in which the Leader of the Opposition is taking it according to the Premier has nothing to do with the answer to the question.

The SPEAKER: Premier, I refer you back to the question.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I have a few moments to address the question. Of course, there are many hundreds and hundreds of incidents—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —in fact thousands, my colleague reminds me—which come within the category of critical incidents in relation to school. Just for the benefit of those opposite who are seeking to characterise this in a particular way, the email that was received did not disclose the details of the incident and advised that an arrest had occurred and that parents were being informed.

So, the two critical things that you would expect to happen in a case of this sort—that is, that somebody is arrested and taken away from further contact with children—had already occurred before the advice had come into my office. The second thing that is at the heart of—

Mr GARDNER: A second point of order, Madam Speaker: the question is about what the Premier was told himself.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The second thing that is at the heart of the issue that's being investigated by former Supreme Court Justice Debelle is, in fact, why parents weren't told and we were advised that they were being told. That is the essence of the communication that came into the office, and the chief of staff was entitled to rely upon the fact that that was being handled appropriately.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Yes, I will see you later if you are not careful, member for Norwood. You have been very well behaved up until now—keep your record.