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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-12-01 Daily Xml
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CHILD'S DEATH

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:22): Supplementary. Given your answer, minister, did you obtain legal advice before you went on radio to discuss the boy who has currently been charged in relation to that case?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (15:22): Madam Speaker, they are two separate issues.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Let us be very clear about a couple of things in relation to how—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Let us be clear about the position of this side of the house in relation to the way in which we treat bullying and violence in our school communities. The former minister commissioned Bill Cossey (an outstanding South Australian public servant) to undertake a review on these matters.

Mr Pisoni: How's that working for you?

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Marshall interjecting:

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

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: As a result of his recommendations—there were 14 recommendations—we have accepted every one of those recommendations, and we are absolutely on track in relation to the implementation of those recommendations. However, we have been very clear for many months now what we expect, certainly in the case of violent incidents—and we should be very clear about what has occurred at Hamilton. This was an act of violence. It is absolutely unacceptable.

I have to say that the first thing I expect the schools to do is to secure the health and safety—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Norwood, you are warned for the third time. You will go out for three days if I throw you out. I would sit there and be quiet if I were you, or you will miss the first two days in the parliament next year. Minister.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: It has been clear for many months now that we expect schools to notify the police. That did not occur. That was a mistake; I have been very clear about that. The other thing I did on that weekend—I think it was last weekend—is I also spoke to the mother of the boy. I and officers of my agency will continue to work with the families in question. We need to remember that bullying and violence are not bred in our schools: they are brought into our school communities. They are brought in—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. My point of order is one of relevance. The question was about the minister using the excuse that a matter was before the courts so she could not address the matter in the house; yet this matter is before the courts, I believe, and she is speaking on it at length.

The SPEAKER: No, I do not uphold that point of order.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: In fact, research conducted by Professor Donna Cross from the Edith Cowan University shows that South Australia has the lowest rate of all forms of bullying across Australia and the lowest rate of covert bullying in state schools in the nation. The matters to which the member refers are two separate issues. I am very happy to keep answering questions.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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