Tuesday, 26 November 2024

Ministers statements: child protection

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:42): I rise to update the house on some important correspondence I received from Muriel Bamblett, CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency. She writes:

[QUOTE AWAITING VERIFICATION]

Unfounded imputations and aspersions made about VACCA in the Legislative Assembly and in the Legislative Council.

I write to raise my disgust and disillusion with the statements made about VACCA by Shadow Minister for Child Protection Ms Roma Britnell in the Legislative Assembly on 13 November and by the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ms Georgie Crozier on 14 November 2024. No effort was made by the opposition to contact VACCA to verify any information before making a series of –

David Davis: On a point of order, President, this is not a ministers statement, as I understand it. This seems a very strange, unusual use of a ministers statement, I would argue, to attack the opposition.

Harriet Shing: On the point of order, President, this might be an opportunity for Mr Davis to reflect on the preamble to every single question that he has asked in this Parliament since it was sworn in.

The PRESIDENT: I can see that some people have their standing orders open. My understanding, as far as a ministers statement goes, is it says that it gives an opportunity for the minister to make a statement. There is no great impediment other than that.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: She writes:

No effort was made by the opposition to contact VACCA to verify any information before making a series of assertions casting imputations and aspersions about VACCA that had no basis in fact. I have never even met Ms Britnell since she has been the opposition spokesperson for child protection. Previous opposition spokesperson Mr Matthew Bach took an interest in the work that VACCA does, but not once has Ms Britnell taken the time or care to understand who we are and what we do. In this context, it is difficult to see her enquiries in Parliament as genuine concern about the safety and wellbeing of children but rather as a political stunt.

The opposition should also be aware that section 534 of the Children, Youth and Families Act restricts publication of any details about individual children involved with the child protection system. This is to protect their interests, and for this reason VACCA will not make comment on the details raised by Ms Britnell except to say that the information she presented to the Legislative Assembly is not accurate.

I will, however, address the statement made by Ms Crozier, in the Legislative Council, seeking an independent review into VACCA’s systemic problems. This statement is deeply troubling to us. Not only does it demonstrate disdain for VACCA but also that the opposition appears to have no real interest in improving outcomes for vulnerable children. If they did, they wouldn’t make a statement that is so clearly untrue. VACCA has a very proud history of grassroots …

The PRESIDENT: Minister, your time has expired.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: I move, by leave:

That the document be tabled.

Leave refused.

Jaclyn Symes: On a point of order, President, the minister has sought leave to table a document. That leave has been denied by the opposition. Could her document be incorporated into her answer so that it is on the public record?

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I am responding to Minister Symes’s point of order. You would have to seek leave for that incorporation.

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:46): I seek leave to incorporate the letter into the minister’s answer so it can be incorporated into Hansard.

Leave refused.