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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-06-21 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

Child Protection

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:02): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: In 2014, the South Australian government ordered the royal commission into child protection systems after the horrific case emerged of now convicted paedophile Shannon McCoole. Pursuant to the terms of reference, the royal commission is to report on a range of matters, including improvements that can be made to the existing laws, policies and structures of the child protection system. The terms of reference provided for the royal commission to make interim recommendations as appropriate to ensure progress in this area continues.

On Monday 20 June, the government received interim recommendations from the royal commission. The commissioner recommended that the South Australian government:

1. Move the office of child protection and the functions of Families SA out of the Department for Education and Child Development to establish a separate department that has the business of child protection as its primary focus.

2. Appoint a chief executive of the new department who has strong leadership skills and established credibility in child protection work and who has a direct line of ministerial responsibility.

3. Implement a departmental structure in the new department that reduces the hierarchies between leadership and front-line workers.

4. Establish a refreshed leadership in the new department in order to attract and retain leaders who have established credibility in child protection work and who have the capacity to lead major reform of organisational culture.

The government has accepted those recommendations. With this new department will come new leadership. The government has begun recruitment for the position of chief executive of the new department. We agree with and accept the recommendations of the royal commissioner that the chief executive should have strong leadership skills and established credibility in child protection work. We acknowledge that this structural change will not be the answer to all of the problems in this area and adopt the commissioner's comments that 'the change of departmental location must be accompanied by a committed, serious and profound shift in leadership and culture'.

I have also announced a series of leadership changes to other South Australian government departments, effective from today. Mr Rick Persse, previously chief executive of the Attorney-General's Department, has been appointed Chief Executive of the Department for Education and Child Development. Mr Tony Harrison, previously chief executive of the Department for Education and Child Development, has been appointed Chief Executive of the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

Ms Jos Mazel, previously chief executive of the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion, will take up a lead role for the government's newly established French engagement strategy. Ms Caroline Mealor, Deputy Chief Executive of the Attorney-General's Department, will be Acting Chief Executive in that department whilst a recruitment process takes place.

These changes reflect the leadership qualities needed across government, and I thank the chief executives for their excellent work in their respective departments. Mr Persse is a well-respected leader and takes on the most important challenge of ensuring our schools are delivering the best education outcomes for South Australian children and families. Mr Harrison has worked tirelessly delivering important reforms to the Department for Education and Child Development, in particular our responses to the Debelle and Valentine recommendations. I also wish to thank Jos Mazel for her long service to the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion. She will also take up an important position within my department as we seek to forge closer ties with the government and people of France.

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