Commissioner for Children and Young People

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. If Ms Helen Connolly, the commissioner, requested a suspension of powers in respect of the legislation, which occurred on 10 November 2016, will the minister explain to the house how her advice was received given that she was not appointed to the position until April 2017?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (14:30): I welcome the opportunity to stand again in order to clarify my previous answer. There is a slight complexity because the Attorney-General and the Minister for Child Protection Reform was responsible for the legislation and also for the development of the regulations. Therefore, I was answering a question that was not in fact the question asked of me: I was answering a question that relates to the suspension of the powers of the children's commissioner. She did indeed ask that she be able to operate without having those obligations initially.

The section the opposition asked about earlier was, as I understand it—and again, I will seek to clarify with the minister who was responsible for passing the legislation and whose department is currently responsible for regulations—initially suspended in order to allow the establishment of the office and also to prepare regulations.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned, and the member for Morialta is warned a second and final time.