Select Committee on Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Bill

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:52): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Has the minister read any of the submissions to the Legislative Council's select committee inquiry into the Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Bill 2024 and, if so, which submissions?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence) (14:52): Thank you very much for the question from the now deputy leader, who I think now has five or six portfolios. However, all of these portfolios and not one policy for the child protection and family support system—not one. In contrast, in this absolutely complex area of child protection and family support, we are beginning, just beginning, to see change.

I am so pleased that the most recent Report on Government Services, released just last week, showed that South Australia is now leading the nation in providing permanent, stable homes for children and young people leaving out-of-home care. Also, in the latest RoGS data, we are slowing the growth in terms of the number of children and young people coming into care. We have had a net increase in carers and in workers in the system. It speaks to our $580 million investment into the system.

Our Family Group Conferencing investment is delivering in terms of around 90 per cent of families who go through that process being able to safely care for their children and young people. They are really important reforms but we have more to do. That is why I introduced the new Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Bill, which has passed this place, supported by the deputy leader, without amendment.

Through the process of developing that bill, in reviewing the current legislation, we heard from around 1,000 people and organisations who provided significant feedback that informed the development of that bill. In our further consultation processes, we have received further feedback to inform that process going forward.

What I would say is that amongst all those submissions what we see is a complexity of views, because this area of public policy is really challenging and there are differing views from birth families, carer families, the children and young people themselves who I have spoken with directly, various people in the sector, and Aboriginal community-controlled organisations. There is a diversity of views.

In developing legislation and taking account of those views, we know that we develop legislation that takes us forward that will help to improve the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We also know that that diversity of views will continue to exist as we progress that bill and as we continue with the determination that we have on our program of reform. I have been listening, I will keep listening, and I look forward to debate in the upper house.