mullighan inquiry recommendations

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:34): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation a question regarding child sexual abuse on the APY lands.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: It has been over five years since former judge Ted Mullighan conducted his commission of inquiry which exposed widespread child sexual abuse on the APY lands. The late commissioner Mullighan stated at the time of the inquiry that 141 children had been sexually abused on the APY lands and more than 70 of those had contracted sexually transmitted infections, although he believed these numbers were not entirely accurate as abuse was likely to be underreported.

Late last year, the state government presented its fifth and final report in response to this inquiry and claimed that it had achieved all but three of the commissioner's 46 recommendations. However, recent media reports have stated that sexual abuse is continuing on the APY lands, relating to children of both genders. The Mullighan report, released several years ago, stated that:

There is an urgent need to implement strategies to prevent sexual abuse of children on the APY lands. It is not appropriate to merely react to disclosure or detection of sexual abuse.

With that in mind, my questions are:

1. Will the minister advise the council whether he is aware of the number of child sexual assaults that have been reported by Nganampa Health on the APY lands since the government's last report?

2. Will the minister advise the council how many children have been removed from the APY lands to Adelaide and whether the government has provided the necessary accommodation and care at any new places of residence, as was committed to by the government in response to recommendation No. 11 of the Mullighan inquiry?

3. Will the minister advise the council how many safe houses for children in need of sanctuary have been built in the APY lands, as was committed to by the government in response to recommendation No. 33 of the Mullighan inquiry?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:36): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. The government continues to be very strongly committed to the wellbeing of residents on the APY lands. In the 2013 state budget, the government provided additional funding of $3½ million over two years to continue an expanded therapeutic service to children and young people on the lands. This state funding for two years provides 2½ FTE child protection workers to provide forensic child protection services to the lands and five FTE child and adolescent mental health staff to provide therapeutic support to a number of communities across the APY lands, I am advised. I am advised that all new positions to address problem sexualised behaviours have been recruited and have begun to provide services on the APY lands.

The increased funding has allowed for additional staff providing therapeutic services to those communities. Services include working with communities to develop plans to ensure children are safe, providing education to staff and schools and other agencies about supporting children who have been exposed to trauma and involved in inappropriate behaviour, as well as working with children and families to assist them to support children and to keep them safe. In addition, since 2010, under the Council of Australian Government's Indigenous national partnership, funding has been provided for two lands-based child and adolescent mental health workers, based in two communities on the APY lands, to provide mental health assessments and interventions. This funding was recently extended for a further three years, to June 2016, is my advice.

I can say more broadly about some of the questions the honourable member asked that I am aware that the Women's and Children's Health Network's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service has been providing a service to the APY lands since 2006. There is a coordinated approach being undertaken by Families SA, SAPOL, CPS and CAMHS to investigate matters further and to share other relevant information. These efforts are being supported by regular operational meetings attended by agency representatives. Regular community engagement is being undertaken by Families SA and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. Safety plans are being developed for children and their families, along with therapeutic support for children and the families who require it.

The more detailed questions the honourable member has asked I will refer to the minister who is responsible in the other place and seek a response on his behalf.