National Child Protection Week

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (15:17): Today, I would like to speak about National Child Protection Week, which was held a number of weeks ago, from 2 to 8 September. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the tireless advocacy in this area of my friend and colleague the member for King, in particular the way she bravely shared her own experience as a child during her first speech in this house.

It is frequently the case that many of the fiercest advocates for change in the area of child protection have themselves suffered child abuse. Certainly, it is understandable and welcome that those who have suffered are heavily involved in these discussions and in the formulation of policy to protect others from harm. Of course, they have far greater insight into the issue than those who are fortunate enough not to have been harmed, but they should not be expected to do the heavy lifting alone.

This is a key message of the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect's National Child Protection Week, impressing upon our community the reality that we all have a part to play to make sure that children are protected from harm. It is not difficult to comprehend that, if our community has an open and widespread consciousness of the importance of recognising the signs of child abuse and, crucially, reporting concerns to the proper authorities, not only will it encourage children to confide in community members but hopefully potential perpetrators will realise that they will not get away with the abuse.

Eradicating child abuse from our society is not as simple as that, but child abuse certainly cannot be prevented without vigilance and openness from the wider community. Prevention of child abuse is the ultimate aim and, as part of National Child Protection Week, the Play Your Part Awards recognise individuals, organisations and communities whose prevention initiatives help to create safer environments for children.

The South Australian Play Your Part Award deservedly went to Puddle Jumpers Inc. for their community food nights, which provide support to families struggling to pay for basic necessities. It offers struggling families a forum within which both parents and children can form friendships and a sense of belonging during difficult times. This is an excellent example of an early intervention initiative that creates not only an environment in which children can feel safe but also one in which struggling parents can receive advice and support as well as respite.

Of course, government must play its part in ensuring the safety of children. We all watched on with dismay as scandal after scandal occurred in the child protection space under the former government. Understandably there was much outrage in the community. The outrage was not about politics. It was outrage that a circumstance could occur whereby children whom the government should have been keeping safe were harmed.

The election of the Marshall Liberal government brought with it the first dedicated child protection minister whose sole focus is on improving the lives of the most vulnerable children in our state by ensuring that South Australia's child protection system is operating as well is it possibly can. A critical component of the Minister for Child Protection's work is identifying pathways for early intervention. I know that the minister is approaching this role with her usual enthusiasm and deep understanding of the issues at hand. Importantly, she knows and this government knows that perfect worlds do not exist and so we must also ensure that the system can cater for children whose circumstances are so dire that they need to be placed into safer alternative accommodation.

It is an indictment on the way our system has been operating that we have double the number of children who have been placed in residential or commercial care than the national average. The Minister for Child Protection is working tirelessly to achieve an increase in the number of children in family-based care and halve the number of children in residential or commercial care. This is an important goal and one that will improve outcomes for children who are most in need.