CHILD PROTECTION

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:11): As a supplementary to that: as the Ombudsman's report tabled today identified that the principal had an obligation to (1) notify the department of families and communities, (2) notify the Child Abuse Report Line, and (3) notify SAPOL, did any of these procedures take place in relation to the alleged sexual assault of a 13 year old in the southern suburbs school?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:11): They are totally different incidences and circumstances and in fact in Mr Debelle's report, he makes a recommendation—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Sorry—he acknowledges that a police officer recommended that the principal contact the Child Abuse Report Line. I understand that it took a couple of days for that to occur, but he has made a recommendation that legislation be altered so that people can rely on a defence that, if they find out about a child abuse matter—and the principal found out about this, as I understand it, through the police—they should be entitled to rely on the fact that they would have made that notification to the Child Abuse Report Line.