CAVAN TRAINING CENTRE

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion a question relating to the report on the Cavan escape.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Yesterday I asked the minister whether he would commit to publicly releasing the final report of the investigation into the Cavan escape. This was rejected by the minister in the following terms:

I hope honourable members here will understand that any release of such a report that goes to the very intense matters of security of a detention centre should not be released publicly.

Only 45 minutes later in the other place the Premier committed the government to releasing the report, saying:

We are going to release the report. The only caveat on that is, of course, the Young Offenders Act, which requires certain information not to be made public, but subject to that caveat we are more than happy to release the final report when it is delivered to the minister.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Why were you not willing to commit to public accountability when the Premier has committed to the release of the report?

2. Does the minister now admit that he is out of touch, not only with the expectations of the public but even his own government?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:21): I thank the honourable member for a very important question on a very important topic; it is shame that he has treated it in such a shabby manner. Once again, the Liberal opposition is being very selective in their quotes. Once again, they have neglected to inform the chamber of what I said in the media last Friday, which was that I would look at the reports and release publicly what I could. Any honourable member here who thinks that any minister of the crown should be releasing details that go to the security of a detention centre should have a very close look at themselves. I refer the member to my ministerial statements.