Tuesday, 21 February 2023

Ministers statements: child protection

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Minister for Child Protection and Family Services) (12:37): I rise to update the house on how the Andrews Labor government is delivering on our commitment to the Victorian people to reintroduce important child protection legislation. Today in the other place we are introducing the Children and Health Legislation Amendment (Statement of Recognition, Aboriginal Self-determination and Other Matters) Bill 2023. Over the past three state budgets, Victorian children and families have accessed more support services through a $2.8 billion investment in the child protection and family services system, and since 2018 the government has invested over $160 million of new investment to implement Wungurilwil Gapgapduir and its nation-leading initiatives. But we know we must do more and, introduced today, this bill makes important changes to the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 to work to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care.

Last week, while some people were running the numbers for Aston preselection, I was delighted to be meeting with people such as Aunty Muriel Bamblett of the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA), the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Djirra and many others to discuss ways to address the over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in care and to discuss ways to support the whole family with family services. Today’s bill has been welcomed by Aboriginal stakeholders. Karen Heap from the alliance said that:

The new laws are a first in Australia – they help keep Aboriginal children with their families by enshrining Aboriginal self-determination in child and family services.

Aunty Muriel Bamblett of VACCA said:

The proposed Bill enables us to not just stop the cycle of higher rates of Aboriginal child removal, it will also help address the cycle of family violence. Strengthening the whole family is the only way forward.

Last sitting week I updated this chamber on the important reforms this bill will make to the child protection system, and Dr Bach referred to my statement as idiotic. Well, on this side of the house we do not see reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care as idiotic; we see it as an important duty and one that we take seriously. I urge those opposite and all in this chamber to support the bill when it is introduced in this house so that we can work together to address the over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care.