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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
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Commissioner for Victims' Rights

Mrs POWER (Elder) (14:55): My question is for the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney outline to the house the expanded role of the Commissioner for Victims' Rights?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:55): I am very happy to answer that question from the member. I know she has an interest in this because she has had a deep and abiding interest in relation to victims, particularly those of domestic violence and family violence.

Mr Hughes interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Giles!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: We very much appreciate her support on this side of the house and advice on those matters.

The Hon. T.J. Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister for Primary Industries!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Quite obviously, victims of crime in South Australia do need a number of services. We provide them, and we will continue to provide them.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I would like to confirm proudly what we have completed in respect of the counselling service that we provide to deal with all the profound anger, grief, trauma, depression, fear and anxiety that frequently come in three or four stages during the rather torturous victims of crime process: the investigation, the preliminary hearings if they are charged, the trial if that is to progress, sentencing and of course subsequent release if they are incarcerated. All of these are very difficult periods for victims, and often they are—

Mr Hughes: That's why there's a specialised service.

The SPEAKER: Member for Giles!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Indeed. As the member interjects, that's why they need a specialised service. That's why this government did put out to tender the counselling services. I have announced recently a three-year, $2.48 million contract with Relationships Australia SA so that victims of crime can continue to have a high-quality therapeutic counselling service.

Mr Hughes: Not in regional South Australia.

The SPEAKER: The member for Giles is warned.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I am pleased to note that one of the applicants through that process, namely VSS, has acknowledged publicly the level of expertise of RASA in them being awarded this contract although of course they were disappointed, no doubt like the other applicants through the competitive tender. I do want to acknowledge their contribution and indeed their acknowledgement of the process and the contracted party as a result of it through the successful tender.

The new provider does have significant networks already on the ground and through the regional areas. Like VSS, they have been in the business of counselling for a very long time. VSS, in fact, last year celebrated its 40 years. Trevor Griffin was the attorney-general who spearheaded the establishment of that organisation.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Actually, you probably weren't even born, but in any event I will finish this.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Indeed, Relationships Australia SA has a 70-year history in relation to the provision of counselling services and of course is highly regarded, as I have indicated, even by VSS. I don't know why the opposite side have such an interest in VSS other than the fact that of course, for that tumultuous period, they might recall that the member for Badcoe was the chair of the board of that organisation. Do you remember that time when the CEO had three bullying allegations against him? He didn't last long, but then neither did she.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order: personal reflection on another member is not provided for by the standing orders, particularly in the circumstance when they are not even able to be present in this chamber.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. I think, with all respect, the Attorney-General is beginning to deviate from the question. I ask her to come back to that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I would like to listen to the answer.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I'm proud to announce the significance of the new service that is being provided across the regions, which already has a very great number of services it can provide face to face, online—

An honourable member: Where?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —and ensure that that is continued. I know that one of the members keeps calling out 'where?' because a service in Whyalla was recently closed by VSS. We have, of course, noted through the process of the new tender the service availability. Port Augusta, I think, under VSS was also announced to be closed very unfortunately but, nevertheless, one of the factors which is very important to this government and was very important to the Commissioner for Victims' Rights, who of course worked with us in the restructure of services, is to ensure that that is actually available in those regional areas.

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned for a second time. He has been doing it all day. The member for Mount Gambier has the call.

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