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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-09-09 Daily Xml
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Grievance Debate

Disability Support Workers

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (15:30): Sadly, today what we are seeing unfold again is another terrible chapter for people living with disability here in South Australia. We were alerted to this particular episode some weeks ago when The Advertiser broke the information that a disability worker was facing investigation over alleged sexual assault, and this particular person has appeared today in court. What we are told is that this worker from the north-eastern suburbs, aged in their 40s, is a current employee with the Department of Human Services and has been providing support work to some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

I have spoken many times on disability before in here and attest to the fact that people live strongly, happily and solid lives with disability if they are surrounded by the right people and if they are encouraged and provided with good policy and frameworks that see them thrive. What is happening in those surrounding environmental, cultural and influential aspects is failing people with disability, and we as a community have to accept that.

What on earth is it that gets into someone's mind that makes them think it is okay to sexually assault somebody with an intellectual disability? It is abhorrent, it is appalling and, frankly, it makes me sick, and I am confident that every member in this place feels exactly the same. We have many questions that need answering regarding this on behalf of the community. I have already had people ask me questions in the community about this particular case.

How many sites did this worker work across? We have had people tell us today that this worker has certainly worked across multiple sites, and there was confirmation when the story first broke that the Debelle procedures had to be undertaken because the person had worked across a number of sites, so that was already in the public sphere.

Have they worked across a number of employers? That is another problem because people who work in support work do so in a very low-paid job. They work very, very hard and often need to undertake multiple jobs because the workforce is so casualised that it is putting them in this position of no choice. That is not to give excuses that within these settings you can treat someone so appallingly.

There have been reforms undertaken in Disability SA, including changes to the structure and changes to the people working on site providing support to these workers—oversight. This has happened in the last year. The people who are providing this oversight do not necessarily have the requisite experience. They are not the same types of people you are used to seeing providing oversight. They have come in to do other work and now they are finding themselves supervising. Well, it is not appropriate, and this is happening under the minister's watch.

The minister has to take responsibility and reach in immediately and provide some response to supporting these workers. We know that absolutely the vast majority of disability support workers are incredible, patient, loving, kind people. I have disability support workers coming to me saying that they are embarrassed to say they are a disability support worker right now because of these awful people out in our community doing shocking things.

It is incumbent on the government to get up, stand up, and say, 'We are not going to put up with this. We are going to increase staffing levels, we are going to increase education, we are going to provide better support, better oversight.' We are seeing a tsunami of horror coming through our media at the moment towards these people.

I recently FOI'd critical incidents. This might give you a little bit of an insight into what is going on in that department right now. Usually, you see one a month. It is a complex area, right—people with intellectual disability, people with brain injury, mental health problems. You will see incidents against staff towards staff, against clients. Well, do you know what? It was crickets—crickets—since November last year: nothing, nothing, nothing, no reports, nothing, nothing, nothing. Oh! Hello June, when the opposition starts asking questions in parliament. Hello, June! Not one, not two, but three backdated reports on this critical incident register from as early as December last year.

So what on earth is happening? This is not right. There is something going on here and the minister has to stand up and change this now.

The SPEAKER: Order! The time has expired.

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