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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-23 Daily Xml
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CHILD'S DEATH

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (14:32): After a week of understanding what your department has or has not done, are you satisfied with what it has done?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. This is the third time: the member for Bragg has been here long enough to know you must put the question through the chair. She cannot direct it directly at the minister. Apart from anything else, it is discourteous.

The SPEAKER: I uphold that. You did talk about 'you', which is talking about me, member for Bragg. Could you address the question through the chair.

Ms CHAPMAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the minister a supplementary question. After a week, is this minister satisfied that her department has done anything to act on that notification about a child who is now dead?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:33): The member for Bragg can become hysterical. She is free to do that.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Bragg!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: She is free to behave in whatever way she feels best advances our—

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order. Not only has the minister imputed improper motives on the member for Bragg, she is now referring to her as 'she'.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Finniss. Minister.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: As anyone in this place who has ever had anything to do with child protection matters knows—I have three predecessors in this place, at least, that I am aware of—I will not be compromising this case. That does not mean—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has gone through this in three or four questions now.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: I have and I will—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! And she has answered it fully. She has said she is not going to be compromised. Minister, do you want to finish your answer?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: I will repeat that the family was known to Families SA. That is all that I am in a position to say because of the fact that the case is now with the police.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: the minister has repeatedly told us about the compromise, she says, to the police. The parents of this child—of the alleged child abuse case—are before the courts—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms CHAPMAN: I haven't asked one question about those parents. Her department—

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms CHAPMAN: —or the minister are not charged with murder—

The SPEAKER: Order! This is becoming a discussion, not a—

Ms CHAPMAN: —somebody else is—

The SPEAKER: Thank you—

Ms CHAPMAN: —and we want some answers—

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Bragg. Thank you; that was not a point of order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has answered the question, in my opinion.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Finniss, behave!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Mawson.

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