House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Child Protection CHILD PROTECTION Mr PISONI House of Assembly Unley CHILD PROTECTION Mr PISONI (Unley) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Can the minister tell the house why, when a boy was raped at a regional school, the convicted offender was offered assistance and counselling and the victim's family was then expected to use the same counsellor? The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly Hartley Minister for Education and Child Development CHILD PROTECTION The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:35): I am getting to the bottom of what has transpired in this and every other case. I have to also say that there have been plenty of examples, sadly, where communication has occurred with families and where transparency and that process have worked very effectively. Members opposite may not like to acknowledge that when we are dealing with children we are dealing with complexities around evidence and we are dealing with others that make allegations then withdraw them. Also, in this particular case we are dealing with a situation that occurred two years ago. The member for Unley keeps insisting that I received this email a number of days ago: it was sent at 6.53pm on Monday night and brought to my attention yesterday. I am happy to check all of those details. Are you committed to working with us to assist people or do you want— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Are you committed to working with us to genuinely assist people to identify systemic barriers or other things that need to be changed in an organisational structure, because we certainly are— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —because, when I have been speaking to parents, that's what they want. They don't want to be part of some political game. They want answers here, and we are going to get them for them.