Children in State Care

The Hon. L.A. HENDERSON (15:42): We continue to see much talk but little action from this bread and circuses government. One in three children have had contact with the child protection system before they turn 18. It has been reported that in South Australia it is predicted that, without change by 2031, there will be as many as 140 of every thousand Aboriginal children in state care. As of 30 April 2024, there were 4,853 children and young people in care. The figure from 31 March was 4,883 and was coined as being highly likely that this is highest number of children and young people in care by the chief executive, Jackie Bray. No matter what way you cut it, this figure is unacceptably high.

At a recent Budget and Finance Committee meeting, we heard that, in comparing South Australia with the number of children in the child protection system per capita to other Australian jurisdictions, we are the second highest figure for all jurisdictions. We have seen review after review under this government, but while we continue to wait for action from these reviews, vulnerable South Australians are stuck with the status quo.

As lovely as a review is, and we do welcome the opportunity to identify ways in which the child protection system can be improved, they are merely a tick-box exercise if they do not ultimately lead to tangible outcomes, the perfect example being the review of the Children and Young People (Safety) Act. We sit eagerly and await any draft legislation from the review of the Children and Young People (Safety) Act. The final report for this review of the act was provided to the minister in February 2023. Acting President, you heard that right: 2023. The minister has been sitting on this report for over a year.

The parliament will soon break for the winter break, meaning that this place will not see any bill to address these issues until the end of August or the start of September at the earliest. That leaves only seven sitting weeks, if you do not include the optional sitting week, for the minister to make these changes, if she gets her skates on. If she does not, vulnerable South Australian children and the child protection community more broadly will be left with coal under the Christmas tree from Minister Hildyard and told to wait until next year.

Every day we wait is another day that vulnerable children and families in the child protection system are at risk of facing the same preventable heartbreaking tragedy that we have seen time and time again. Children are the most vulnerable in our community and they need our protection. They rely on the government to be able to make the tough calls and to get on with the job.

The opposition has been calling on the Premier to dedicate a standalone child protection minister: a minister who would be able to give this portfolio the time and attention that it needs. Instead, we see a part-time child protection minister who is juggling her time with LIV Golf, Gather Round, Adelaide 500—the list goes on with this bread and circuses government.

The Hon. B.R. Hood: Horse races.

The Hon. L.A. HENDERSON: Yes, horse racing. We all know this government loves sport and they have had a real focus on it since 2022, but the reality is that the minister who is charged with this very busy sporting schedule is, in fact, the child protection minister.

Instead of taking the opportunity at the recent cabinet reshuffle to ensure there is a standalone child protection minister, the Premier decided to appoint an Assistant Minister for Junior Sport Participation, giving Minister Hildyard more support in her sports portfolio. That tells you all you need to know about this government's priorities. There is a child protection crisis, and what does the Premier do? He throws more at sport. The Premier, no doubt, has members of his caucus languishing on the backbench hoping for a call-up who would have been happy to pick up the slack for the child protection minister. I think the Hon. Russell Wortley would have happily picked up the phone.

As we await tomorrow's budget, I for one hope that this government gives the focus needed to the child protection system, but make no mistake, throwing money at child protection will create no outcomes on its own. It is time that we have a dedicated child protection minister, someone whose sole focus is the increased safety of vulnerable South Australian children.