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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-22 Daily Xml
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CHILD'S DEATH

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (14:59): My question again is to the Minister for Families and Communities. Did the minister receive legal advice not to answer any questions about the conduct of her department in respect of the death of the five-year-old boy in a housing trust property from the Attorney-General, the Crown Solicitor's Office, the former attorney-general (whom she is speaking with now), the solicitor representing her in the defamation case, or another lawyer?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (15:00): I have been keen to be as open and transparent about this issue as I possibly can. I have not in any way tried to hide that the family concerned in this tragic event were tenants of the South Australian housing trust and that there had been some contact with Families SA. What I am advised is that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: What I am advised is that I need to be incredibly cautious about the public statements I make—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —about involvement with this family while the matter is before the court. That is the advice I have received.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Regardless of the outcome of the trial and the review process that will be undertaken by the Coroner and the Child Death and Serious Injury Review Committee, this government continues to look for ways—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —to improve services for vulnerable families. Let me tell you some of the things we have done in relation to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: You don't want to hear that?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, stop shouting across the floor! Member for Bragg, behave. Member for Stuart, do you have a point of order?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I rise on a point of order: 98. The minister is not addressing the substance of the question. The question was not about whether she got the advice, but where it came from.

The SPEAKER: Sit down.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Norwood, behave!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! As I have said on a number of occasions, ministers can choose to answer a question how they wish. The minister has given a full explanation. Have you finished your answer, minister?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I am happy to tell the opposition that we have a crown solicitor outposted in the Department for Families and Communities, and the advice that I have received is that I need to be very cautious about what I say publicly because it is likely—

Ms Chapman: Yesterday you wouldn't give an answer.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: You didn't ask that question yesterday.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms Chapman: Yes I did.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: No you didn't.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Bragg!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: The empty vessel makes the most noise, doesn't it? A long time waiting—you are going to be sitting there waiting a long time.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: They don't like it when she's quiet. The only time she's been quiet of recent times is when she was asked to support her leader after the post-election period.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: All this noise from the person who lost the election for them.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will get back to her answer. I think you have answered it very well.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Leader, supplementary.

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