Contents
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Commencement
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Bills
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Parliamentary Procedure
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Bills
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Motions
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Ministerial Statement
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Parliamentary Procedure
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Question Time
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Parliamentary Procedure
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Question Time
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Grievance Debate
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Bills
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Child Protection
Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:35): Supplementary: again my question is to the Attorney-General as the Minister for Child Protection Reform. Can the minister explain to the house why it is appropriate that he would progress recommended amendments to the Children's Protection Act in respect of child protection reform as emanated from the Coroner but not progress recommendations in respect of child protection and the appointment of a commissioner for children as recommended by Robyn Layton QC?
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) (14:35): It is pretty simple, really. My responsibility is to deal with matters arising from the Coroner's report and matters arising from Commissioner Nyland's report, and suchlike. The children's commissioner is not a matter touched upon by either the terms of reference, as I understand it, of the Nyland inquiry—
Ms Chapman: That's not according to her. She said she was considering it.
The Hon. J.R. RAU: She may have, in which case, why are you asking me why we aren't dealing with it?
Ms Chapman interjecting:
The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned for the second and final time.
The Hon. J.R. RAU: This children's commissioner thing is, I know, something the Minister for Education has answered many questions about—both the current Minister for Education and the former minister for education and, quite probably, the one before that have been asked. My father's father and my father's father's father's father. It has been going on for a long time, and the proposition has been the same. There is an impasse between the government and the opposition about whether or not there will be inquisitorial powers or investigative powers vested in this—
Ms Sanderson interjecting:
The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide is called to order.
The Hon. J.R. RAU: —commissioner, and this bill would have been history—in other words, passed and operational—a long time ago—
Mr Marshall: Rubbish. We haven't introduced it. You've completely forgotten the chronology of this. You're just making it up.
Members interjecting:
The SPEAKER: The leader is provoking the member for Wright and is leading to disorder. Deputy leader.