Sexual Assaults in Schools

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:10): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney-General a question about sexual abuse and sexual behaviour and charges in schools.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: Earlier this year, I made a freedom of information application asking for the number of assaults that have occurred in our schools across South Australia between 2019 and 2023. The FOI that came back to me said that the scope of that FOI application was limited to sexual abuse, sexual behaviour, where the incident occurred under DFE care and where the following site actions were selected: police attended, report to police by site.

In total during that period, 530 such incidents were recorded. My question to the Attorney is: does he consider that an appropriate number, and what is the government doing to address that high number of incidents, which average about 150 a year, in our education system?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:11): I thank the honourable member for her question. I can't recall having seen such an FOI. I am assuming it was directly to the relevant authority: courts, police or maybe education. One matter of sexual abuse is one too many. It has an absolutely traumatising effect on a child for the rest of their life and on the whole family.

I think we have taken more steps over the last couple of years than in recent times to do what we can as legislators to try to lessen and try to rid us of the scourge of sexual abuse. The vile monsters who sexually prey on children deserve to spend as much time as possible in jail and away from children. Just this week, we have been talking about things like those who work in workplaces with children, who are registered sex offenders, and what we can do about those. I would say any instance is one too many, in my view.