House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-02-16 Daily Xml

Contents

Child Protection, Rice Inquiry

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (14:15): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. Does the minister agree with Mr Rice that she should have told the department that she wanted to know about the serious sexual abuse of children under guardianship?

The Hon. R. SANDERSON (Adelaide—Minister for Child Protection) (14:16): I thank the member for the question. As was made plainly clear in recommendations 1 and 2, if the significant incident reporting is working well, it would clearly identify what should be in as a significant incident and the reporting process. Judge Rice found that the process was unclear and ambiguous and difficult, and that the staff weren't aware of the policy. So if the policy works well, which we are rewriting the policy and being explicit and very clear as to what should be included as a significant incident, and the—

Mr Brown: How many times does it have to happen?

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Playford!

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: —reporting procedure, there will be an extensive education rollout that will be overseen by the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment's office—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens will cease interjecting.

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: —and therefore it will be implicit what is expected to be done and that will then flow through, and I will be notified along with the CE and the deputy CE.

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the member for Reynell, I call to order the member for Cheltenham, I call to order the member for Wright, I warn the member for Playford, I warn the member for West Torrens and I call to order the leader. The member for Reynell.