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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-06-27 Daily Xml
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Child Protection Department

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (16:23): As a supplementary, has the minister requested or received a briefing from her department in relation to the incident that occurred at Westfield Marion on 23 June?

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) (16:23): What I can say to the member is that I request briefings from my department constantly about children, young people and families and about the difficult issues and circumstances that they confront—the really complex, often intergenerational, deeply interconnected issues that they confront.

As I have tried many times, including during the estimates process, I try to help the member for Heysen to understand the complexity of issues that they confront. I keep asking him to engage in that complexity and to be on this journey for driving change on a wide range of issues pertaining to the lives of children and young people who are in contact with the child protection and family support system, on a wide range of issues that impact their families, that impact their carers, that impact the sector, that impact those incredible workers in the sector that the Premier just spoke about.

Every single day, these workers carry the risk inherent in the child protection and family support system, and carry that responsibility to make decisions to keep working to strengthen children and young people and their families or to make different decisions for children and young people and those families. Every single day I am briefed on issues by the Department for Child Protection; that is a regular process. Whenever particular issues arise that need immediate attention, of course I ask for a briefing, and—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I absolutely, when I receive that information, interrogate those briefings. I ask numerous questions. I am deeply engaged in the complexity of the work, the task ahead, in child protection and family support, so I always ask for briefings, I always ask multiple questions, and I am immersed in absolutely driving change that helps to make improvements in the lives of children and young people.

It is absolutely abhorrent that despite multiple sustained efforts to engage the member for Heysen in this work, to be part of a bipartisan—

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: —approach, to offer him information, to include him—

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Standing order 98: when the minister starts talking about the motivations or the behaviour of a member of the opposition, she is straying from the question, the question being about whether she sought a briefing on a matter.

The SPEAKER: This is a really important area for everyone in here and for people across the state. I think it is important. There are a few interjections over there that aren't that welcome. I want to be able to hear what the minister has to say and I think we should all treat this matter with the seriousness that it deserves. I go back to the minister now, who is addressing the matter.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As I was saying, I am deeply engaged in the complex work ahead to help improve the lives of children and young people and their families facing really difficult and complex issues. I have immersed myself in the system; I understand the levers in the system.

I also understand that, as the sector keeps asking us to do, this requires a bipartisan approach to tackle those complex issues. As the Leader of the Opposition actually said, I think last year or the year before, he would like a bipartisan approach. That is what is required, and that is why when I receive briefing after briefing and ask question after question, I constantly try to help the member for Heysen to understand the complexity and to be with us on this journey. But sadly, he is not interested. He is interested in playing petty politics that never, ever have children at the centre. We are focused on children and young people; they are focused on stupid theatrics—

The SPEAKER: Minister, your time is up.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: —and petty, petty politics.

The SPEAKER: Minister, please resume your seat.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Our community deserves better.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, please resume your seat. Before I call the member for Heysen, member for Chaffey, your constant interjections aren't welcome. They're not helpful and, as I said, this is a really important matter and I want to be able to hear what people are saying, particularly the minister.

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