Child Protection

Ms SANDERSON (Adelaide) (14:45): Supplementary: what is the maximum response time for Families SA to investigate a tier 2 complaint?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:46): I think I did answer that question just then, but can I say that we have invested enormously in child protection here in South Australia since we came to government: the massive increase in our budget, the massive increases in our staffing levels, and there have been large increases in the number of children in care. There were a little over 200, I think, social workers—

Ms Chapman: So what's the answer to the question?

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: There were 283 care and protection workers in Families SA when we came into government. The millions of dollars that we have invested in child protection since that time mean that we have over 630 care and protection workers in our state now. So, this is not something that we have taken lightly. We have invested heavily in it. We have more people reporting. We have different—

Mr Marshall: Nevertheless, the question was pretty specific. It wasn't a disrespectful question.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I haven't answered it in a disrespectful way either.

Mr Marshall: You haven't answered it.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Yes, I did. I answered it before: not all tier 2—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is warned.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —notifications are investigated. In fact, there are many different responses that we have in relation to caring for children; it may be the engagement of a non-government organisation to go in and work with that family. So, there are many different ways that we engage with them—the Safe Babies program. They may be going in, working with them, working with their children, working in their homes, getting non-government organisations in there. They are not all subject to investigation.