House of Assembly: Thursday, May 05, 2022

Contents

Child Protection Department

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (15:26): My question again is to the Minister for Child Protection. Does the minister endorse the statement of her departmental CEO, Cathy Taylor, that the case of Amber Rose Rigney and Korey Lee Mitchell was one that the Department for Child Protection didn't get right but didn't fail in either?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:26): Thank you again to the member for Heysen for the question. First of all, I want to say that the deaths of all three family members in relation to that matter were absolutely senseless and utterly tragic, and my thoughts are with their extended family, with their friends and with loved ones. I offer my condolences to all of them.

As I said a couple of weeks ago, I will meet with family members—next week actually—to speak with them about what can be improved. I intend to sit with them, to listen to them and to think about, based on what they tell me and the questions that I am asking, what can be improved. As I also said publicly a couple of weeks ago, it is utterly tragic what happened in this case and we must do better.