Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
Dr WOODRUFF – Late last year, when your government tabled its response to the commission of inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, you made a strong commitment to prioritising the actions needed to keep children and young people safe. From the commission of inquiry’s recommendations, 52 are an urgent priority and should be completed by 1 July 2024.
In the Keeping Children Safe and Rebuilding Trust report of your government, you committed to implementing 48 recommendations in this time frame by 1 July 2024. How many of these recommendations will be completed by that date? If any are running behind schedule, which recommendations are they?
ANSWER
Mr ROCKLIFF – I thank the honourable Member for her question. Fundamentally, there is no more important matter. I recognise the collective response we have all had to the commission of inquiry. Whoever is in government at the time has responsibility to ensure the implementation of the 191 recommendations and more. We do not want to only implement the recommendations of the commission of inquiry but lead the nation when it comes to our response to protecting children.
The commission of inquiry shone a light on past failures of governments, including ours, and on governments of all colours, for which we take responsibility. The commission of inquiry and the recommendations and more are there to ensure this never happens again. I once again thank the victim/survivors for their courage in coming forward and continue to do so with respects to shining a light on matters regarding the commission of inquiry findings and recommendations.
We have focused your question on the delivery of phase one recommendations, which the commission identified for response by the 1 July 2024. I ensured, and I made this public, that through the caretaker period, the work still continued. The possible work that could still continue to implement the recommendations continued, despite the fact that we were in a caretaker period.
Since the release of the government response, significant progress has been made against Phase 1 recommendations. We are on track to deliver the vast majority of these on time. Work is already complete on six recommendations in line with the commission’s recommendations.
We have already delivered: the new Safeguarding in Schools Unit within the Department of Education, Children and Young People – this focuses on safeguarding our children and young people in the education context, as well as educating and informing school staff and the broader school community; a new support person policy for the Department of Health; a new Children and Young Persons Advisory Group for Health Services; regulations to prescribe the Ombudsman as an entity in the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act, to allow it to share information with the independent regulator and other entities for the purposes of the Act; new measures to implement accountability for child safety amongst staff in leadership positions, including amending all performance agreements for heads of agencies, including specific references to Child and Youth and Well-being and within the Department of Health, embedding child safety as a priority in leader’ role descriptions and performance agreements and document in child safety as an accountability for all staff. We intend to table the Independent Monitor Bill on Thursday.
Dr WOODRUFF – Could the Premier please answer the question that we asked? There were 52 urgent recommendations; the government committed to implementing 48 by 1 July 2024, in six weeks’ time. Can the government please table today how many of these recommendations will be completed by 1 July 2024?
Madam SPEAKER – It did go a little over the time for a supplementary. By the end of this week, we will not be going over time on supplementary questions. Dr Woodruff, I will allow it because it is both the first question and a question arising from the Premier’s information, which said that the vast majority would be dealt with. Premier, I will call you for a one-minute answer please.
ANSWER
Mr ROCKLIFF – Thank you. I will complete my answer about the Independent Monitor Bill that will be tabled on Thursday.
To your question, it is my intention to have a ministerial statement on Thursday to allow the parliament to discuss this important matter regarding where we are at with the recommendations and the like.
Dr Woodruff – So you are running behind time? You have done six.
Mr ROCKLIFF – With respect, we will get as many recommendations as possible done. A handful of recommendations will require a little extra time to ensure we are doing things in the best way to get the best outcomes. I will be advising the House of those. I am pleased, however, with the significant progress that we have made across what is one of the most comprehensive reform programmes our state has ever undertaken.
We are well on the way to implement the vast majority of Phase 1 recommendations. I am happy to provide information to the House and briefings when you need it, at any time, which we have done. With Phase 1 of the government response almost complete, agencies are focusing on developing delivery arrangements for Phase 2 and Phase 3 which include many complex, interrelated activities that will take time, consideration and significant work to realise structural and systemic changes to make institutions safer for children and young people.
