Child Protection

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Can the minister inform the house how the Marshall Liberal government's investment in child protection and education will lead to job creation in research and better support for our most vulnerable children and young people?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Child Protection.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! We are nearly there. If any member has a point of order to raise, then they might raise it; otherwise, I will call on the Minister for Child Protection. The member for Kaurna, on a point of order, I presume?

Mr PICTON: That question was a significant breach of section 97.

The SPEAKER: Standing order 97. The member for Kaurna might particularise the point of order.

Mr PICTON: There was very significant argument in the question that was asked by the member for King, and consistent with the previous ruling that you've made in relation to the question that was asked by the member for Enfield, I ask that you rule this question out of order as well.

The SPEAKER: I hear the member for Kaurna's point of order. As I gave the member for Enfield an opportunity to put the question again and, if I may, having made the observation about the necessity to seek leave if leave is required, I will give the call to the member for King and invite the member for King to couch the question in a way that may not contravene standing order 97. The member for King.

Ms LUETHEN: Can the minister inform the house how the Marshall Liberal government's investment in child protection will lead to job creation?

The Hon. R. SANDERSON (Adelaide—Minister for Child Protection) (15:18): I thank the member for King for her question, and I note both her strong interest in education as well as child protection, both of which this covers. I am pleased to announce that the Marshall Liberal government is investing $1 million as part of a $1.25 million partnership with the Australian Centre for Child Protection (ACCP) at the University of South Australia.

The program is to support 10 new child protection PhD scholarships to undertake world-leading research and in turn better support our most vulnerable children and young people. The scholarships are a partnership between the Department for Child Protection and the Australian Centre for Child Protection at the university.

The program, which is open to existing and new scholars, will focus on supporting new and innovative ways to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable children and young people. The Marshall Liberal government's new $1 million commitment builds on our significant and ongoing investment in child protection. We are focused on ensuring every child and young person has an opportunity to grow up in a safe, loving and supportive environment where they can thrive. It is a responsibility we all share as a community.

The field of child protection is always evolving and changing. Our $1 million commitment to support world-leading child protection research will not only create more research jobs but also ensure we are implementing the best and new ways of doing things better to support our children and young people who have experienced child abuse and neglect, including those who are already in care.

It is expected that students will be accepted into the program this year with research beginning next year and across the following three years. This field of work is incredibly important for us to get right and I urge South Australians with a keen interest in child protection and improving outcomes for our most vulnerable children to apply for this wonderful opportunity.

The PhD program will operate under the leadership and oversight of the Australian Centre for Child Protection's leadership team of Professor Fiona Arney, Professor Leah Bromfield and Associate Professor Tim Moore. Key research topics that could be addressed through the research projects include responding to trauma and mental health, building a therapeutic practice, enhancing reunification practice and creating sustainable partnerships with Aboriginal stakeholders.

The new partnership highlights my department's commitment to enhancing and expanding its practice knowledge with a strong focus on quality and therapeutic care. Research will support the Department for Child Protection to be world leaders in child protection practice and research, building our expertise and capacity to deliver better outcomes for children in care. Participants in this program will be part of a new generation of research leaders and will drive quality and excellence in the child protection sector and lead the development of new policy and practice nationally and globally.

It will also build on the existing groundbreaking work of the Australian Centre for Child Protection and support its commitment to creating a brighter future for children and families. At the heart of this program is a desire to produce outcomes and impacts that will make a real and tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable children and their families.