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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-06-15 Daily Xml
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Grievance Debate

Minister for Human Services

Ms PRATT (Frome) (15:18): I rise today to express my deep concern in regard to the conduct and judgement of the Minister for Human Services. It is the second time in less than a month that this minister, appointed by Premier Malinauskas, has failed in her duties.

It is unfortunate that I raise not one but two major issues that have come to light in regard to this minister. These issues are a clear indicator that she is not up to the task of being the human services minister. The human services portfolio requires a minister who is in touch, empathetic and effective. The member for Hurtle Vale is failing on all metrics.

In the minister's own words, she recently declared, 'I am here to change South Australian lives for the better.' The evidence is in. I refer to a very concerning situation where there are claims the minister left a homeless woman with nowhere to go, despite publicly promising her a roof over her head just days ago.

As widely reported in the media, Meagan, a single mother and disability pensioner with severe epilepsy, has been living in a tent since May after being squeezed out of the rental market. The minister has known about her plight since April. When the minister became aware that Meagan had gone to the media, she called Meagan directly, and there are claims the minister used a tone of interrogation in the conversation. I find it shocking that the minister does not understand the concept of abuse of power. As a minister talking to a vulnerable single mother, homeless and with disabilities, the minister lacked empathy and was instead focusing on herself and her image.

Subsequently, the minister's solution to negative media was to hold her own press conference to make a public commitment that the single mother would be offered short-term accommodation. She proceeded to tell Meagan to pack up her tent and go to Housing SA herself to collect the taxi vouchers rather than delivering them to her, knowing very well that Meagan has a disability. Meagan promptly packed up her tent with relief, caught a bus to get her taxi vouchers and was ready to start her new journey with more hope of help, only to call the motel and discover that the booking was never confirmed.

Just last month, this same minister told the house how proud she was to support a person in distress from a fire, and she promised that she would deliver him a hot meal. Will every homeless person in this state get the same personalised service from the minister? Apparently not. It is so disappointing that the minister left Meagan in a situation where she had nowhere to go. The minister did not bother to monitor progress and follow through to ensure that Meagan was safely in accommodation.

Imagine the indignity of packing up your belongings because a minister promised a relocation, only to discover it was an empty promise. Imagine having to explain to your crying son that he would have to continue couch surfing. Imagine what courage it took to trust another politician, as Meagan did with our shadow minister who, understanding the system and responsibility owed to Meagan, actually helped her in person to find lodgings where the current minister had failed. If not for our shadow minister intervening, Meagan may have remained homeless all weekend, through no fault of her own. Our shadow minister called Meagan on Friday night, picked her up from her relative's place on Saturday morning and took her straight to the motel.

Meagan is just one of many South Australians who should not have to put up with a rookie minister who cannot do her job properly. This is a minister who tells parliament she is working to restore care, empathy and humanity, yet she cannot follow through on a single case. It does not stop there. Not only did the minister fail this woman but, as the chamber discovered yesterday, she appears to be in breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct after sending a politically charged email to thousands of DHS employees.

Yesterday, the minister defensively claimed that a junior staff member was to blame and that the intended recipients were the respectable residents of Hurtle Vale, but not one southern suburb was mentioned. It just does not make sense. No public sector employee or ministerial adviser would or should have access to the Hurtle Vale database. Similarly, absolutely no electorate officer should have access to the DHS mail list. It is a conundrum. Even the hyperlinks in the email itself link back to the DHS website.

I am confident the voters of Hurtle Vale will see right through this, but there can be no explaining this brazen manoeuvre to influence our public sector employees, and it is just another rookie move by this L-plate minister. As stated, in the code of conduct—

The SPEAKER: Member for Frome, we are well against time. I will allow you maybe a few moments.

Ms PRATT: I am in my last phrase, Mr Speaker, and it is an important one because it refers to the code of conduct:

If a Minister engages in conduct which prima facie constitutes a breach of this Code…the Premier shall decide...

So the question is now before the Premier: what course of action will the Premier take?

Time expired.

The SPEAKER: Member for Frome, I have indulged you on this occasion but in future perhaps stay closer to the time.

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