Volunteer Screening Checks

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Human Services.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter, please!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Are we all finished? The Hon. Ms Lee, I would like to hear from you, your question.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: My question to the Minister for Human Services is about screening checks for volunteers. Can the minister please provide an update to the council about the cost savings that have been achieved in the volunteering sector since free volunteer screening checks were implemented by the state government last year?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:51): I thank the honourable member for her question. I start by acknowledging her personal interest in this area and the wonderful work that she does with our many community organisations, who play some fabulous roles in our community. It was clearly an election commitment from the Liberal Party to provide free screening checks for South Australian volunteers, which has been very well received in the community. On 1 November 2018, we were able to implement that particular commitment.

Formerly, South Australians were required to pay $59.40 each per screening, which was one of the highest rates in the nation. It had been called for by Volunteering SA and a number of community organisations and is certainly reaping rewards in terms of what the organisations are able to do. Quite recently, the Premier and I met with Little Athletics. What they reported to us—particularly the Munno Para Little Athletics, who were attending to their usual Saturday morning training—was that, since the free screenings, they have been able to recruit a range of new volunteers.

As we know, with a number of sporting organisations, it can be hard to find volunteers and find new sources of volunteers. The free screenings have been a huge boon to them in terms of recruiting additional parents to provide those volunteer roles, which has had flow-on effects for other sporting organisations, such as the soccer club, and a range of areas because once—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: And multicultural organisations. Once those individuals have their screenings they have them for five years and clearly can use them for other roles as well. There has been some $3.4 million saved by the sector since the implementation of free screening checks, so in a 12-month period, which enables a lot of organisations to provide that funding towards their own equipment. Previously, they may have been quite constrained because they were paying for the volunteering checks themselves. Now that they no longer have to, that is certainly an assistance for their particular cash flows.

In terms of working with children checks generally, this is an extension from the volunteer sector. Close to 20 per cent of South Australians now hold a working with children check. Clearly, this is a vital service in our community. We are very pleased with the uptake that we have had within our community and the welcome reception that free screening has provided.