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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-09-26 Daily Xml
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CHILD PROTECTION

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Given that the family at the centre of the southern suburbs school alleged sex abuse case sought an investigation on 25 June, why was no investigation commenced and no contact made with the parents?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:21): They are the questions that will be put to the person who received that request. The failure to notify: an investigation into that can be conducted in two ways. If it is deemed to be of an extremely serious nature, it is an investigation which the police can conduct and, as we know, there is something like a maximum penalty of about $10,000 should that matter go to court and be prosecuted by the police. There is also the opportunity to undertake an internal departmental inquiry, and if someone is found negligent in their duty, the chief executive has the power to—

Mr Venning: The buck stops with you—resign.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —impose penalties in relation to some sort of disciplinary action.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

Mr Venning: The buck stops with you—resign.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: The chief executive has had discussions with some senior police about this particular case and we are being extremely cautious about the inquiries that are being made until we are very clear that none of the investigations will impact improperly on the matter which is going to court in the very near future.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the leader again, the member for Schubert is warned for the first and second time for serial interjection; the member for Heysen is warned for the second and final time; the member for Unley alas is not here to receive his first warning; and that gentleman and ornament of the parliament, the member for Goyder, is warned for the first time.

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