Child Protection

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:01): To the Premier, who is not here, but anyone else can take it, I suppose. Is the Premier or Deputy Premier satisfied—

The SPEAKER: It's generally regarded as pretty poor practice to refer to the absence of members from the chamber. I am sure the Premier's absence is scheduled and arranged by a pair with the opposition. If the deputy leader believed that the Premier should have been here today, then the opposition would have refused the pair.

Ms CHAPMAN: Mr Speaker, I thank you for your counsel on that. In redeeming my error, can I say that the Premier's attendance on Kangaroo Island to celebrate today the 180^th anniversary of South Australia is to be commended, and I appreciate him going there.

The SPEAKER: A good save.

Ms CHAPMAN: Thank you, sir. I will address my question to the Minister for Education. In respect of the annual report, page 46, detailing drug testing, when I asked the minister previously whether she was satisfied that that complies with the reporting obligations now set out in section 8E of the Children's Protection Act 1993, has she now checked that, read it, and is she satisfied that it complies?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (15:02): Courtesy of the Deputy Premier, in his capacity as Minister for Child Protection Reform, a piece of legislation went through recently to modify the Children's Protection Act. That piece of legislation included some changes in the reporting that is required in the annual report on drug assessments. So, while the annual report for the previous period only complies with what we were asked to comply with previously as a result of the inquest into Chloe Valentine—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: If the Treasurer doesn't stop interjecting about Kylie Minogue, he will be removed under the sessional order for the remainder of question time. Minister.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: Subsequent reports will comply with the legislation as it has subsequently come in. I have also asked the department whether it is feasible to add an addendum with the additional information that the new legislation does require of us. The challenge will be whether the information has been previously collected prior to it being a requirement, and has previously been collected in a form that's reportable. If it is, I will report it; if not, then it will be from the time of the act coming in onwards. And that was an answer.