House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-09-12 Daily Xml

Contents

Child Protection Department

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Child Protection. How many, if any, significant incidents have occurred at the Department for Child Protection since the minister came to office?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:45): Again, I think I have actually had this question in this place before. In fact, just in the last sitting week there was a similar question. What I can say is that I have set up a very robust process so that I am notified about—

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, resume your seat. The member for Unley will leave the chamber under 137A for 15 minutes.

The honourable member for Unley having withdrawn from the chamber:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: This is a very serious matter, and it's appropriate for the opposition to ask questions but it's inappropriate to interject on this matter, given the dignity that it deserves. Let me make myself very clear.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I have explained, on multiple occasions in this house, about the significant incident reporting procedure. It is a procedure that I put in place on coming to government, because I was really concerned about how those particular notifications had previously happened. As well as asking that the department advises me about particular matters—it is my expectation of them that they do that—I also seek further information to satisfy myself that my expectation, my other expectation of the department, is also being met, and that is that, when there are particular incidents, particular supports are around children and their families. That remains my expectation. I will continue to have that expectation of the department.