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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-14 Daily Xml
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APY LANDS CHILD PROTECTION OFFICERS

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood) (15:07): My question is again to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Is the minister aware that, of the two permanently stationed child protection officers referred to in her article in The Advertiser yesterday, one position has remained vacant since July last year and that housing for this person has remained empty for more than 12 months in the midst of a housing crisis on the lands?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, you are warned for the second time.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (15:08): We have funding for two child protection workers on the lands, and we also have funding for six school-based social workers on the lands.

An honourable member: How many are filled?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: We currently have some vacancies.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: No, no. We have had the positions filled and, just like any other—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —position, people come and go. We are in the final process of interviews, I think, for three positions on the lands. What I can say for certain is that there were no child protection workers on the lands when the Liberals were in power, there were no school-based social workers on the lands, and they certainly were not investing something like $292 million worth of housing for remote Aboriginal communities.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: We are doing that on the APY lands, and we are doing that to address issues of child protection and overcrowding and health. The other thing I can say that were not on the lands are the family centres that we've established in a range of areas: in Amata, in Pipalyatjara, in Fregon, in Mimili and in Ernabella. We have a partnership with DECS where we have a community development officer there providing programs in the family and child centre for families in that particular community.

So, when we add up the dollars that are being spent on the APY lands now and the number of positions that are on the APY lands now, compared to what they were when your lot were in government, there is absolutely no comparison.

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