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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-12 Daily Xml
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POLICE BAIL, CHILDREN

The Hon. SANDRA KANCK (15:18): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Correctional Services, representing the Minister for Police, questions about police bail for children in Port Augusta.

Leave granted.

The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: I am informed that when police are interviewing children—in particular, Aboriginal children—in relation to offences they are not contacting the parents or guardians of the children either prior to the interview or after the interview and the charging and bailing of the children. This means that, should a child return home and not inform their parent or guardian of their arrest or future court date or curfew, that child is at risk of breaching the bail conditions imposed and subsequently being charged with the offence of breaching bail. That will then accompany them on their record for the rest of their life.

It has been drawn to my attention that on one occasion the curfew imposed on the child required them to be 100 kilometres from Port Augusta at the time the curfew would take effect. The parents, or people who lived at the address to which the child was returning, were not informed of this and no effort was made by police to deliver that child to the address. So when the child left the police station, having had those particular bail conditions imposed, the child was immediately breaching bail. My questions are:

1. Will the minister investigate the extent to which children in Port Augusta are being interviewed, charged and bailed without any attempt to contact parents?

2. Does the minister agree that working effectively with families is likely to reduce future offending?

3. Does the minister agree that the approach I have described actually undermines the capacity of families to protect their children?

4. Will the minister approach the Minister for Families and Communities and the Commissioner for Social Inclusion to ensure that the approach taken by police supports families rather than undermining them?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Gambling, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:20): I thank the honourable member for her questions. In relation to alleged police bail for children at Port Augusta, I undertake to refer her questions to the Minister for Police in another place and bring back a response.

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