Children in State Care

Ms STINSON (Badcoe) (14:43): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Does the minister agree with the Guardian for Children and Young People in her annual report that there is a current crisis in child protection linked to the number of children coming into care, which has risen by 457 children since the minister was appointed?

The Hon. R. SANDERSON (Adelaide—Minister for Child Protection) (14:44): I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: Our numbers coming into care for the last financial year were an increase of 8 per cent. The change for the last five years was an average of 9 per cent, so there is not an increase. It is still a number that we want to reduce, but over the last five years it is within equal number of what has been coming in.

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: One of the reasons that the number is still high—

The Hon. T.J. Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister for Primary Industries!

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: Of course, my goal is to try to get that number down. That is why as a whole of government we're investing early on, to prevent children coming into care. What we experienced coming into government is there were a lot of 'closed no actions', and there were a lot of children left in chronic neglectful situations the former government shamefully left in danger, and we are cleaning up their mess.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Has the minister concluded her answer?

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: Yes.

The SPEAKER: The minister has concluded her answer, member for West Torrens, so we will move on to the member for Florey.