Child Protection Department

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (16:28): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Has the minister received any advice about whether—and, if so, how—any child who is under the care of the Department for Child Protection was able to access a prohibited weapon?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (16:29): I have already answered this question. I have answered this question in the right way and that is that rightly I take the advice of SAPOL really, really seriously, and I am not going to make comments when they are in the midst of investigations and particular court processes. That is not the right thing to do.

I say that again in the hope that this time it is heard and understood. I am going to say again: I hope and I pray that the member for Heysen and the opposition actually begin, just begin, to try to understand the complexity of child protection and the family support system, the changes we are trying to make.

I heard just a cacophony of noise when the Premier was explaining the improvements, the beginnings of results that we have achieved. It is a fact, there is data reported, that during the period of the last government the growth of children in care got to levels of around 9 per cent. Just this month, there is something that has happened that we should all be pleased with and that is reduction after reduction, an overall reduction, a trend in reduction—

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni: You're hiding the numbers. Tell us what the numbers are.

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley!

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Right now, we are beginning to see reduction: minus 0.2 per cent. I have just given you the numbers. I gave the numbers comprehensively to the member for Heysen, but you don't want to hear them—you don't want to hear them. I gave the numbers in estimates.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley!

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Also, I don't know where the member for Heysen was in estimates, but I gave him comprehensive answers to these questions. I cannot help him if he chooses not to listen. What I can absolutely guarantee is I am immersed daily in all the levers that make sure that we are doing the best we possibly can. When I say 'we' that includes the incredible people who work in the community services sector, in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, within government, in DCP and a range of other agencies that work with children. We are engaged in looking at those levers that will make change.

The numbers I spoke about in estimates, the numbers that the Premier just gave about that overall reduction, are about the fact that we have more carers and more staff compared with this time last year and that our family group conferencing, after our $13.4 million investment, is now showing results of 92 per cent. That means that after a family group conference, 92 per cent of families are now safely staying together.

These numbers are important. The opposition can play petty politics, they can call the things out that they do, but this government and I will absolutely stay the course to keep driving change. We are above that. We will stay above it. We will keep working to drive change. It is not easy, it is absolutely not easy. Terrible things do happen. We can't control everything that happens in every family, in every community, but we are absolutely working, using the levers we can to drive positive change.