House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-08-01 Daily Xml

Contents

Children in Residential Care

Ms STINSON (Badcoe) (14:44): My supplementary question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Can the minister clarify that she has never raised the proposal of having etiquette or deportment classes for children in state care?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir: the shadow minister has basically repeated her previous question.

The SPEAKER: I will allow this question. It is on the edge. If members on my left will be quiet, I will allow the question. Minister, would you like to respond.

The Hon. R. SANDERSON (Adelaide—Minister for Child Protection) (14:45): Sure. I have been meeting with many, many department officers, hundreds of people literally, to discuss any and all ideas. I welcome all suggestions, including my own, to be discussed and thought of and floated. So, of course; I have 18 years in the industry. I see great benefit in all engagement, whether it is in confidence, whether it is—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: —yes, getting jobs, job interview skills, speech classes. There are lots of things children can learn. There are no plans to be running these at this point but I have spoken at length with many people with any ideas that will improve the lives of our children because all I think about is how can I do a better job than they have had for 16 years? These children were neglected and it is time that we put some effort into them.