House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-02-17 Daily Xml

Contents

Child Protection, Rice Inquiry

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. What is the minister doing to specifically address the issue of child protection fatigue, as identified by Paul Rice QC on page 37 of his report?

The Hon. R. SANDERSON (Adelaide—Minister for Child Protection) (14:42): This is a very important question. As we know from the Nyland royal commission, there has been a culture, a toxic culture—in fact, it was identified first in 2003 by Robyn Layton. Labor had 16 years to improve that culture. It was still there in the Nyland royal commission. So we know that it is well documented that there was—

The Hon. Z.L. Bettison interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Ramsay!

The Hon. S.S. Marshall: A lot of progress has been made.

The SPEAKER: Order, the Premier!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister has the call.

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: I think we can see from the way they behave in parliament that is exactly the culture that I am trying to change in the department. The staff were yelled at—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: —they were bullied. The conversational swearing from the member for West Torrens—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will resume her seat. The member for West Torrens on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Obviously, Mr Speaker, the member is imputing an improper motive to members of the opposition. I ask her to apologise and withdraw.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There's no point of order. The Minister for Child Protection has the call. Has the minister concluded her answer?

The Hon. R. SANDERSON: Yes.

The SPEAKER: The minister has concluded her answer.