ASK Website

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (14:39): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding services for families that need support. Will the minister please update the council on the Marshall Liberal government's new one-stop-shop ASK website?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:39): I thank the honourable member for her question and for her interest in this important area. Indeed, on 31 May we did launch a new website known as ASK, an acronym for Adults Supporting Kids. This particular website is something that our department—indeed a range of departments, including the Department for Child Protection—is very excited about in terms of providing early support to families who may need it. We are also grateful for the endorsement and advice of Belinda Valentine and Steve Harvey, who have worked as senior community consultants for the ASK website.

Belinda and Steve provided advice on the navigated model and drew on research that they themselves have undertaken. They also undertook a desktop review of other Australian jurisdiction websites, such as The Orange Door in Victoria, had the role of co-chair of a working group alongside the Department of Human Services, and have been consulted on content and website development and functionality.

The purpose of the website is to provide what is known in government circles as a new front door. What that means is that it is to assist people to receive support at the point at which they need it. We know from a lot of discussions we have had with people with lived experience, and a range of other people, that if people view the Child Abuse Report Line as the front door to accessing services, there is stigma associated with that, and they may not seek help through that means.

The ASK website has a range of functionalities. Obviously, it is accessible to anybody who wants to use it, so it provides a lot of information for people in a range of areas, whether it be mental health or a range of other supports that people might need, but it also is able to connect people into services, particularly in their local areas.

It has a range of modalities. Also, in case somebody feels that they may be at risk by accessing it, it has a quick exit for safe searching, language translations and tiles that can help people with resources such as access to parent information and links to parenting programs, 1800RESPECT, Lifeline, Kids Helpline and similar functionalities. I do not have the data in terms of the number of clicks and the like, but early advice we have received is that it has been quite highly utilised for a brand-new website, and we look forward to people receiving support if they need it, and if they need additional formal supports they can also access those.