Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 08 Hansard (Thursday, 5 August 2004) . . Page.. 3509 ..

MS GALLAGHER: If Mrs Burke had concentrated on her portfolio and read the quarterly report released last week, she would realise that, no, the department is not meeting the timeframes required in those quarterly reports for allegations of abuse and neglect being reported to the Office for Children, Youth and Family Support.

In relation to the 24-hour appraisals over one year, the target is 90 per cent; the department reached 81 per cent. In relation to seven-day appraisals, the target is 85 per cent; the department reached 63 per cent. In 21-day appraisals the target is 85 per cent; over the year the department reached 59 per cent.

I have been public with those figures. They were released last week. All members have had access to them. I have done media reports on them. I have consistently said that the work is being prioritised—it has to be. In a 35-day period from the beginning of the Office for Children, Youth and Family Support, they received 769 allegations of abuse or concern for children—that is 769 in 35 days.

In relation to the 24-hour appraisal, only 55 per cent of those were achieved. Within that 24-hour appraisal time, the work is being prioritised; that is, the most urgent cases are being seen to. Those classified as less urgent, within that 24-hour timeframe, are being dealt with as resources become available. In relation to the reports that we received in those quarterly reports, all of those urgent appraisals have been undertaken.

MRS BURKE: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Minister, why is it that workers are receiving cases reported in May—supposed to be followed up within seven days—in late July or early August to investigate? Why is the system not meeting its performance targets?

MS GALLAGHER: Unless you can find another 45 child protection workers and get them trained and starting tomorrow, these figures will remain difficult to achieve. The reports coming in are double those received in previous years. We do not have double the work force. We are working on recruitment. We are doing everything we can to achieve staffing numbers that would satisfy and enable the department to meet its time limit figures. Timeliness is quite complicated. In relation to the 24 hours, if you are under 12 months—

Mrs Burke: Why?

MS GALLAGHER: If Mrs Burke would listen to me—

Mrs Burke: You’ve said this before, though.

MS GALLAGHER: Listen to me. In relation to a seven-day appraisal, they might not be able to find the child. It might take them 14 or 15 days to locate the child. That impacts on the statistics. They might find the child and then have more work to do. Again, this impacts on whether they are able to appraise and manage that case to completion within the timeframe.

There are many variables relating to these figures. However, the targets have been set. The department does its best. But at the moment, it is just coping. I have made no secret

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .