Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (23 October) . . Page.. 4006 ..
MR STANHOPE
: Mr Speaker, I apologise that I was momentarily late. Similarly, on behalf of my colleague, as explained by the Treasurer, Mr Corbell has been caught in traffic unexpectedly. I apologise for that.Thank you, Mr Stefaniak, for the question. It is a very important question on a very important matter-namely, the safety of our children, the integrity of the coronial process and the integrity, of course, of the Office of the DPP and our prosecution arrangements and processes.
It is correct, Mr Speaker, as Mr Stefaniak says, that he has written to me in relation to this. Mr Stefaniak wrote to me in the context of why the DPP had not instituted action or laid charges in relation to the findings of the coronial inquest.
Mr Stefaniak
: That's not the issue.MR STANHOPE
: That's not the issue. I'm just giving some background and some context. That is the matter on which Mr Stefaniak wrote to me-why it was that the Director of Public Prosecutions had not proceeded to lay charges in relation to this particular matter. From memory, Mr Speaker, I believe Mr Stefaniak urged me to direct him to do so.In my response to Mr Stefaniak on that matter, I indicated the importance of maintaining a separation between the role of attorney and the independent-
Mr Stefaniak
: That's not the point here.MR STANHOPE
: No. I just need to provide this context, Mr Stefaniak, in relation to the letter that you wrote to me. The letter that you wrote to me was in relation to the powers of the Director of Public Prosecutions and steps or actions that he had or had not taken. I responded to you that it was not for me-and I felt it was an inviolate principle that the Attorney-General not intervene in matters such as this and not intervene with the independent decision making of the Director of Public Prosecutions.Over and above that, Mr Speaker, as Mr Stefaniak says, there is the issue of the extent to which the mandatory reporting provisions relating to suspected or alleged incidents of abuse of a child were abided by in relation to this matter. In relation to that particular issue, I will have to take some further advice. I will take up the specifics of the question in relation to the aid agencies, which Mr Stefaniak has raised in his question, with officials and provide a detailed response on that point.
MR STEFANIAK
: Thank you for that, Chief Minister. I am well aware of the role of the DPP, so we need not canvass that.MR SPEAKER
: No preamble.MR STEFANIAK
: Will you, after you look into this further, direct the relevant departments to initiate disciplinary procedures against all persons who failed in their mandatory reporting duties? If not, why not?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .