House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-10-30 Daily Xml

Contents

CHILD PROTECTION

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:12): Supplementary question: in light of the minister's answer, can she then explain why last month parents of a metropolitan high school where Stephen David Andrews was teaching and was committed for trial for communicating with a student for sex and accessing child pornography were written to by the department and advised of the incident?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (15:13): We take every case very, very seriously and we will not act, firstly, to further victimise children or, secondly, to jeopardise a matter that is before the courts.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: I am happy to investigate more deeply into the allegations made by the member for Unley, because we all know—

Mr Pisoni: What allegations?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Into the suggestions made by—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Bragg, order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: So, I am very happy to look at that incident, but I have to say that we take our responsibilities very seriously.