Child Protection

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (15:19): Supplementary: whose responsibility is it to see that this direction is being followed out, and what steps can the government take to ensure that there is an audit to make sure that junior social workers are not working on these important cases?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform) (15:19): As in all Public Service matters, the chief executive is the primary manager, if you like, of the department. In fact, as members opposite probably know, as a minister you basically have control over one public servant, and that is your chief executive.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: They have control over everybody else and their job is to make sure the people who are working for them do as they—

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: It's called the law.

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland is called to order. He's been doing it all day.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Mr Speaker, the member for Newland did make a powerful point, which is it is the law. If you look at the legislation governing the public sector, it will tell you that the management of each government department is actually in the control of the chief executive of the department. That person, the chief executive, is accountable to the minister. The minister asks the chief executive to do things. The chief executive does things, but the minister does not have the capacity under the public sector legislation to go in and direct individual employees. That is the job of the chief executive. All I am saying to people, and if you can just absorb this—

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned a second and final time.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Member for Hartley, I'm sorry, but this is legislation that has been in place for a very long time and it is the legislation that applies in the commonwealth. It is the legislation that applies all around the country. All we are saying is, since the Coroner has handed down his report, the direction has been given, I am advised, by the chief executive that the conduct the Leader of the Opposition is concerned about should not occur and it is my expectation that that direction will be observed.