Residential Care Facility Visits

Ms STINSON (Badcoe) (14:19): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Can the minister detail the conversation she had with the teenager in a residential care facility who, after her visit, became highly agitated—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members of my right will cease interjecting.

Ms STINSON: —absconded and went on a crime spree?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Badcoe, please be seated.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right, order! The Premier is warned.

Mr Mullighan: Chris never told you to do this?

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is called to order and warned for a first time.

Mr Duluk: Talked about how rubbish you guys were.

The SPEAKER: The member for Waite is warned.

Mr Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is called to order for a second and final time. I will not listen to comments about the opposition not getting enough questions when the member for Badcoe cannot even ask a question in silence. She deserves that respect, as does every other member in this place. The member for Badcoe has the call.

Ms STINSON: Would you like me to repeat the question, sir?

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

Ms STINSON: My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Can the minister detail the conversation she had with a teenager at the residential care facility who, after her visit, became highly agitated, absconded and went on a crime spree?

The SPEAKER: Deputy Premier.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Kaurna is called to order. The member for Hurtle Vale is on one warning.

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale is warned for a second and final time. The Deputy Premier has the call.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:21): The member for Badcoe knows, or ought to know, that it is entirely inappropriate that there should be the disclosure of any conversation in relation to a child under the guardianship of the minister. Secondly—

Mr MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order, Deputy Premier. One moment. Deputy Premier, could you please—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Deputy Premier, please be seated for one moment. I will hear the point of order in silence.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: But there was a point of order, so I will listen to the point of order if that's okay.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right! Point of order.

Mr MULLIGHAN: Debate.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully. I think at this stage it is not.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier has the call. She is answering the question, but I will be listening attentively. The Deputy Premier has the call.

The Hon. D.C. van Holst Pellekaan: The Attorney-General is going to give you a lesson.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Energy and Mining is called to order.

The Hon. S.K. Knoll interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport is called to order.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Furthermore, to disclose a conversation with a child under the guardianship of the Crown that in any way would identify that child, again, is a concern.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Well, just excuse me. Mr Speaker, if I may explain to the parliament in relation to this?

The SPEAKER: Please do.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: So there is no capacity to ensure protection of the identity of the child, or in fact especially if there was conversation identifying other members of family, which may identify the child. What has historically happened in this house, in the 16 years I have been here, is that myriad ministers who have covered child protection in the former government have invited members to have a briefing on a confidential basis in relation to children who are a specific concern.

From time to time, this is raised in correspondence by local members to the minister to ascertain. They may have a concerned relative or the like, and a private briefing is given. They are usually given on a strictly confidential basis so that they may provide advice to their constituent. I would ask the member for Badcoe, if she hasn't already made herself familiar with that process, that she does so and that she forward correspondence to the relevant minister to seek such a briefing.