Child Protection Department

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:23): Supplementary: why did the Attorney-General put his name to a release, along with the Premier and the Minister for Child Protection, which promised the people of South Australia that the new department would be up and ready by 5 August this year?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:23): I do not have a copy of whatever it is—

Mr Marshall: I am happy to provide it. I have it right here.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: If you would like to provide it to me, we will—

Mr Marshall: Is that your name?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I don't know, is it? I can't see it. If you want to provide me—

The SPEAKER: The leader knows that displays are prohibited.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I am pleased the leader has shown me the piece of paper to which he is referring. As a matter of interest, this is one of the problems when these sorts of questions emerge, I've noticed. The question was: why is it that we haven't done something by 5 August? I do not see any—

Mr Marshall: 'Implementing this recommendation ahead of receiving the final report will allow us to have the agency better placed to deliver on the important reforms that will be required.' You signed it.

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned for the second and final time for that extended interjection.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I am struggling to understand what the question is because I have just—

Mr Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta will need to do some doorknocking in Mount Pleasant, and I will give him the time if he continues.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: As I hear it, he would appreciate that. As I hear it, the doorknocking will be mainly members of the Liberal Party.

The SPEAKER: I hear that also.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: As I said, I did explain earlier what the situation is. We have had a search for a chief executive. We have found a suitable candidate. The suitable candidate commences work on 31 October. We have given an indication that we expect the formal machinery of government changes to be in place by no later than 1 November. We made a decision—

Ms Sanderson: By 5 August.

The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide is called to order.

Mr Wingard interjecting:

The SPEAKER: And so is the member for Mitchell.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: We made a decision some time ago that there would be a separation from education of those functions. We are now rolling that out. When the new chief executive, who doesn't start work until 31 October, turns up for her first day at work, she will have a brand-new agency.