Child Protection Department

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (16:42): Thank you, and it is a supplementary question in light of the minister's answer. Has the minister received or requested a briefing from her department in relation to the incident that occurred at Arndale Shopping Centre on 25 June?

The SPEAKER: That seems to be the same question. I do want to remind the member for Heysen that the house has adopted the rule against asking questions about or referring to matters that are subject to court proceedings as set out in Erskine May. The object of the rule is to avoid any interference by the parliament in the functions of the judiciary and prevent members from making statements that may be prejudicial to a matter before the court, particularly if the case is to be heard by a jury. Do you want to maybe repeat the question?

Mr TEAGUE: Yes, absolutely. For the first time, supplementary to the minister's answer, has the minister received or requested a briefing in relation to the incident that occurred at the Arndale Shopping Centre on 25 June?

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) (16:43): I refer to my previous repeated answers that I receive briefings constantly on a range of issues and a range of incidents that occur. I receive briefings and I ask a lot of questions about them. I inquire quite relentlessly—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Yes, I do, every day. I have written files, I have verbal briefings, I have meetings—and rightly so—and I ask detailed questions about those briefings. As you have just said, Mr Speaker, and as I have answered now I think four times, it is really, really clear that neither I nor any minister—no-one in this place—should say anything that may lead to any sort of interference in a police investigation or a court matter. I am not going to do that. I am sure that those opposite will twist my answer and turn it into something that it's not; twist answers about everything that I have said, because that's what they do. That is the petty politics that they play, rather than engaging in the deeply complex issues we face.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The minister raised what I would call a provocation; it was certainly debate. Prior to that there was a period of no interruption, and I seek that 98 be applied.

The SPEAKER: I uphold that point of order. Minister, have you finished?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I think I have made myself very clear about police investigations, and I will just say again and again, please engage in the complexity of these issues with me because, as the sector says, we need a whole-of-government, a whole-of-parliament, a whole-of-sector and a whole-of-community response if we are to positively challenge the many, many difficult issues that families traverse. So I please invite you again to be involved.