Page 5375 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990

DISCUSSION PAPER WHICH WILL BE USED AS THE BASIS FOR

CONSULTATION WITH STAFF AND UNIONS.

AS I HAVE INDICATED, SOME OF THE REPORTS RECOMMENDATIONS CALL

FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE CHILDRENS SERVICES ACT. THE CHILDRENS

SERVICES COUNCIL HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF OPERATIONAL

DIFFICULTIES. THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED THE DRAFTING OF

AMENDMENTS AND THEY WILL BE INTRODUCED IN THE NEXT SITTING OF

THE ASSEMBLY. THE DISCUSSION PAPERS WHICH WILL BE SHORTLY

RELEASED WILL HELP TO IDENTIFY WHERE MORE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES

NEED TO BE MADE. I WILL BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO ADVISE THIS

ASSEMBLY OF ANY LEGISLATIVE CHANGE AFTER DISCUSSrON PAPERS ARE

CONSIDERED AND COMMENTED UPON BY THE COMMUNITY. I HOPE TO BE

ABLE TO DO SO EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR.

I QUOTE FROM THE CALLAGHAN REPORTS CONCLUDING SUMMARY:

"THE STUDY OF SUBSTITUTE CARE TOOK US INTO THE HEART OF A

WELFARE PROGRAM WHICH HAD SET HIGH IDEALS FOR ITSELF, BUT THESE

IDEALS WERE NOT BEING MET. THERE WAS ALMOST UNrVERSAL AGREEMENT

THAT THE SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING WELL AND AN ABIDING SENSE OF

FRUSTRATION THAT LITTLE COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. IN OUR VIEW

THERE IS MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE WELFARE

PROGRAM COULD BE A MODEL FOR WELFARE PRIORITIES IN AUSTRALIA"

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