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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-07-23 Daily Xml
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Domiciliary Care

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Human Services a question regarding domiciliary care.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: When asked yesterday about whether around three dozen domiciliary care support workers had previously been banned from providing services, the minister said, 'Domiciliary care is not a service run by the South Australian government,' so the basis of her answer is actually factually incorrect. Domiciliary care was moved from state government service delivery to Silver Chain from 30 June 2018 at a time when this government and this minister had responsibility. The minister has written advice, and I quote:

The search of records has identified a list of approximately 30 names of contracted workers who were 'banned' from providing services to Domiciliary Care clients. The nature of allegations varied from theft of money to having a child with them whilst providing services.

The minister has also been advised that this information has been provided to the screening unit for their consideration. Minister, what is the result of this information having been provided to the screening unit?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:34): I thank the honourable member for being a little bit clearer in his questioning than the Labor party was yesterday. I understand that he is probably referring to what may have been colloquially termed the Domiciliary Care blacklist, which existed I think from around 2013. I understand that it stayed within the records of the department and was not retrieved until more recently. The list was provided to the screening unit; they properly assessed all matters.

There was much information on the list that was incomplete; for instance, it did not include addresses, full names, dates of birth, and the like. It contained brief allegations, which I am advised appeared to have been largely untested or not investigated under the previous government, but which generally related to minor issues. The screening unit assessed all matters and determined that no action would be taken in relation to those screening checks for any of the individuals who could be properly identified.

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