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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-06-17 Daily Xml
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Child Protection

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (15:38): After learning of the reshuffle on the opposition front bench last week, I have been haunted—it might sound too strong a word, but, no, it is not; I have been haunted—by a phrase repeated in this place ad nauseam by the member for Unley over the last 18 months. It is more of an accusation, really, that this government—this is the accusation of the member for Unley—'has a casual attitude to child protection'.

You might wonder why the reshuffle reminded me of this particular phrase, and I am happy, of course, to explain. Aside from the absurdity of calling the government that commissioned the Layton and Mullighan reviews 'casual' when it comes to child protection—it is a government that has tripled spending on child protection, I might add—it is also utterly hypocritical.

Our current Minister for Education and Child Development has held the child protection portfolio since July 2008, with the exception of the 15 months between October 2011 and January 2013. I have done a little bit of research, and I hope it is correct; I am sure the opposition will tell me if it is not. In that time, the opposition has had the following shadow ministers: the member for Bragg, from April 2007 to September 2008; the member for Davenport, from September 2008 to July 2009; the Hon. Stephen Wade in another place, from July 2009 to April 2010; the member for Bragg again, from April 2010 to December 2011; the member for Morialta, from December 2011 to February 2013; the member for Unley, from February 2013 to April 2014; the Hon. Stephen Wade in another place, again, from April 2014 to June 2014; and the member for Adelaide, from June 2014 to the present.

Mr Picton: That's eight.

The Hon. P. CAICA: My colleague says eight, but that is seven changes of the shadow ministry in less than seven years and three in three months. Now the portfolio rests (and I am not being disrespectful in anyway here because I think she will be good at her tasks) with the most junior member of the shadow cabinet. That, to me, just shows how seriously they take child protection. All this is from an opposition that accuses the government of having a 'casual attitude to child protection'. The only child protection policy presented by the member for Unley at this year's election was to abrogate all responsibility for child protection and handball it off elsewhere—somewhere, who knows where; they did not say to where.

Let's hope that the member for Adelaide sticks around long enough to actually contribute to child protection in this state. Let's also hope that she is not foolish enough to make hollow accusations about a 'casual attitude to child protection', given the long list of shadow ministers they have had come before her. Let's hope, too, that the opposition is finally more interested in helping to protect our most vulnerable citizens than making political mileage from their misery.

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