House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Minister for Child Protection Minister for Child Protection Mr TEAGUE House of Assembly Heysen Minister for Child Protection Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (15:30): My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier stand by comments that his Minister for Child Protection spends most of her time in the Child Protection portfolio? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain. Leave granted. Mr TEAGUE House of Assembly Heysen Mr TEAGUE: On 31 January, the Premier told FIVEaa radio and I quote, 'I do know that when it comes to the bulk of minister Hildyard's time, it's certainly used in the child protection sector.' The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:30): I have no reason to believe otherwise because I know how dedicated the Minister for Child Protection is to that substantial responsibility. The Minister for Child Protection has undertaken a pretty substantial exercise to drive change within the department while at the same time responding to the myriad of reviews and recommendations that are being made to the government following the department not necessarily heading in the right direction over the course of the former government's tenure. The Hyde review has been a very substantial exercise indeed and resulted in a number of recommendations to the minister, amongst other responses to coronial inquests, and she is dedicated to implementing each and every one of those recommendations where we have committed to do so. Following the Hyde review, of course more recently we have had the very substantial undertaking of an additional 500—526 I think to be precise—checks of various children across the state. That's work that the minister has dedicated herself to as well, along with actively engaging with a whole range of different elements of the child protection system outside of the government itself: whether that be parents, whether that be grandparents for grandchildren, or whether it be organisations that represent foster carers. I think Minister Hildyard is doing an exceptional job under difficult circumstances. It is also true that Minister Hildyard has other portfolio responsibilities outside those that pertain to child protection. She addresses each and every one of those needs with the appropriate diligence and thoughtfulness that I think any minister in this place is capable of delivering. I would also note the shadow minister's advocacy for a minister being given the single responsibility of being the Minister for Child Protection. The irony of that advocacy is not lost on me or most observers of state politics given that the shadow minister himself has a range of portfolio responsibilities outside child protection. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Shadow minister for attorney-general, shadow minister for aboriginal affairs, shadow minister for child protection, amongst others. It stands to reason that there is an inherent inconsistency between the shadow minister's advocacy for what we should do given that he himself does not apply the same logic. Nonetheless, we have zero doubt in the ability of the Minister for Child Protection to be able to undertake her multiple responsibilities, while at the same time focusing on the very serious needs that exist within the child protection portfolio more broadly.