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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-19 Daily Xml
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Question Time

FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES DEPARTMENT

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:11): My question is to the Minister for Families and Communities. After eight years in government, why has the government not addressed the culture of power and impunity within Families SA as reported by the Select Committee on Families SA?

An honourable member: Very select.

Mrs REDMOND: The select committee heard evidence that a culture of power and impunity operates within Families SA and that 'there is a rotten of culture of power without accountability' in the department. Many departmental officers behave in an unprofessional, biased and vindictive manner, and they are permitted to hide from recrimination. Case workers are bullied by supervisors. Departmental policy is developed without consulting those working at the coalface. Policy makers fail to support workers and readily shift blame for adverse events onto the workers rather than admitting to organisational failure.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Northern Suburbs, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (14:12): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question and I note the interjection that it was a very select committee that was undertaken by the upper house. We will be giving that select committee report very careful consideration and analysis. Let me just say that, in my very quick overview of it, that report clearly denigrates very hardworking and committed staff—people who work in the most complex of areas dealing with traumatised people, traumatised families, traumatised children—

Mrs Redmond: That is the point the report is making.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: That is not new. These people are dealing with the most difficult—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Well, I am sorry. We have not been able to fix every ill in society. I am sure that the department will continue—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —to deal with these families in the best way it possibly can, and for the first recommendation of that report to be that we need to deal with 'a rotten culture' just goes to the standard, I think, of the report and analysis that has been made. Let me just say—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —that we never claim to get everything right, but let us be really sure that we do not get everything wrong, either. We are dealing with really difficult circumstances, and across the nation we are seeing organisations such as this department having increased child protection notifications day upon day. I am sure that, if the leader asked them, members of the committee can verify that when they have directly raised issues—

Mr Venning interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —they have been dealt with; and, in some instances, concerns have been acted on and in other instances the stories have just not stood up to scrutiny.

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