Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Child protection

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:09): (710) My question is to the Minister for Children. Minister, in question time yesterday the Premier, when directly asked, failed to guarantee that there are no children in the family services system being prostituted. Minister, having had 24 hours to check, can you guarantee that there are no children in the family services system under your watch being prostituted?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:09): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. We have a number of times in this place discussed the work that our government is doing in relation to disrupting sexual exploitation of children in care, and I would note that when those opposite pose these questions or indeed give comments to the media they often imply that in many respects the workforce might be responsible for such sexual exploitation. They fail to understand that the sexual exploitation of vulnerable children who are in the out-of-home care system is by horrible, disgusting paedophiles out there in the community.

What we are doing as a government is investing in sexual exploitation disruption. As a consequence of the investments in our previous state budgets we now have across the state a network of sexual exploitation practice leads, ensuring that we are getting to children in care the services and the supports that they need so that these vulnerable children who are living in out-of-home care, who are under the care of the system, are not being preyed upon by disgusting individuals out there in the community who take their vulnerability and try to use it. What this government is doing is seeking to disrupt that kind of vile behaviour, which we all know, sadly, is out there.

It is the job of the child protection system to have the best interests of those children in care at heart at all times, and that is exactly what this government is doing with the investments that we are putting into the child protection system – as both the Premier and I said yesterday, more than $4 billion over the last five years. What that investment equals is sexual exploitation practice leads right across our state. What that investment equals is investment in therapeutic care, making sure that every residential care home that has vulnerable children living in it is a therapeutic place by July next year. That is well over 85 per cent now and will be 100 per cent by July next year. We are putting the money in, we are taking the action and we are delivering the results that ensure that children in care get the services and the supports that they need to live safe, healthy, happy lives like every child should.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:12): Minister, thank you for your response, but given that you cannot guarantee that under your watch there are no children in the family services system being prostituted, will you immediately commission an investigation?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:12): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. Even the question itself highlights that those opposite do not understand the child protection system, nor do they understand the family services system.

Jaclyn Symes interjected.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: Or vulnerable children – that is right, Attorney. But the child protection system, the statutory system where there are children living in residential care, is very different to what is also our family services system. It is a part of it, but the family services system is one where we partner with community organisations right across the state to deliver services. The statutory services –

Members interjecting.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: Sorry, President, I cannot hear myself, let alone respond to the question.

The PRESIDENT: I missed a lot of the answer too.

Georgie Crozier: I’m happy for her to start again.

The PRESIDENT: I think that should happen. Can we reset the clock to the minute, and can people desist interjecting so I can hear the minister’s answer.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: I was simply trying to explain the difference to those opposite between the child protection system and the family services system. They confuse the two. Nonetheless I can return to discussing the investment that our government is making in relation to disrupting sexual exploitation. As the Premier said yesterday and as I have repeatedly said in this place, children in care are amongst the most vulnerable and the most traumatised, and sadly and horrifically, people who are more vulnerable and more traumatised can sometimes be more easily preyed upon by disgusting individuals in our community. But what this government is doing is ensuring that we are investing in disrupting that type of behaviour. We know that it is working, and we know that the sexual exploitation practice leads which have been put in place as a result of the government’s investment in disrupting this type of behaviour right across our state are having an effect and disrupting that kind of disgusting, disgusting behaviour. For those opposite to seek to politicise it is absolutely disgusting also.