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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-06-13 Daily Xml
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FAMILIES SA

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:04): I seek leave to make an explanation prior to directing a question to the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion on the subject of Families SA.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Last week a young man aged 25 received the following letter from Families SA:

The Department for Education and Child Development, Families SA is currently working with children that, according to our client information system, may be your biological child. Families SA would like to talk with you in relation to the current circumstances of these children and to ascertain whether or not you acknowledge paternity of this child.

Please contact me as a matter of urgency to discuss the situation. I can be contacted at Families SA, Limestone Coast District Centre...

The address and telephone number are given. The name of the worker is given but I do not propose to put the name of the worker on the public record.

The Hon. G.E. Gago: You put absolutely everyone else's name on the public record.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Do you want me to put the—

The Hon. G.E. Gago: Absolutely not. I don't think you should ever put—

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Well, I just said—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: Chuck them out!

The PRESIDENT: Order! It wouldn't be half as much fun if they were all chucked out.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Lucas has the call.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: The minister is squealing like a stuck pig already and I have not even asked the question.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Exactly. I wasn't even attacking her. As I said, unless the minister wants me to, I do not propose to put the name of the particular officer on the public record. This young man who had no knowledge of whatever it was that Families—

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The honourable minister will get an opportunity.

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Lucas has the call.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: This young man who had no knowledge of the circumstances alluded to by Families SA in its letter—and his family—were understandably very angry at having received this particular letter. On the next day the young man rang the named Families SA worker in the Limestone Coast office. It soon became apparent from the conversation—and acknowledged by the Families SA worker—that, given the age of the children involved, a 25 year old young man was not the biological father of the children who were involved in this particular case.

The Families SA worker then went on and confirmed that more than 10 letters had been sent to men with the same name as this particular individual in South Australia and interstate. When the young man and his family became aware of this response from Families SA they were understandably, as I said, very angry. They believed that it was an outrageous letter and policy which was a ham-fisted attempt at a fishing expedition to locate an individual by Families SA.

One can just imagine the potential family problems that might have been created by this letter being received in at least 10 other households in South Australia and interstate. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister accept that the policy and practice of Families SA in sending letters such as the one I have just quoted are outrageous and capable of causing unnecessary turmoil and trauma to the persons and the families who receive these particular letters?

2. On how many occasions and over what period has Families SA been sending letters of the nature of the one I have quoted?

3. Will the minister institute an urgent inquiry into this policy and practice of Families SA and ensure that the policy and practice is changed so that, at the very least, a more appropriate letter and policy is adopted in these circumstances?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for these most important questions. I may be wrong but my understanding is that the recent machinery of government changes mean that the responsibility for the issues raised by the honourable member now lies with the Minister for Education and Child Development in the other place. I undertake to take the questions to the minister and seek a response on his behalf.

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