CHILDREN'S PROTECTION (NOTIFICATION) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 30 October 2013.)

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (12:59): I am happy to rise to speak on the Children's Protection (Notification) Amendment Bill but in doing so I identify that I am not lead speaker for the opposition on this matter. If the lead speaker were here right now, he would be saying the words that we are very happy to support this bill, as I do so now. A number of important measures have arisen out of the recommendations of the Debelle inquiry.

For the benefit of the house this bill, which amends the Children's Protection Act to enact those amendments, addresses recommendations 26 and 27 of Justice Debelle's report in relation to the Child Abuse Report Line. Recommendation 26 deals with section 11 of the Children's Protection Act to add that it should be a defence to a charge under subsection (1) to prove that the knowledge of the facts that gave rise to the suspicion was gained only from a police officer acting in the course of his duty.

What that means is that at the moment teachers, mandatory reporters, are under an obligation to report suspected child abuse cases, even if the knowledge of the case has only come to them from somebody who is also a mandatory reporter or a police officer as was highlighted in the case in the Debelle inquiry. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

[Sitting suspended from 13:00 to 14:00]