Page 196 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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To suggest that the commissioner for children and young people has acted in a manner that jeopardises this inquiry I believe is simply wrong. Whilst it appears that a mistake has been made, the consequence of the mistake was minor. The only substantive harms would have come because of the actions of Mrs Dunne rather than those of the commissioner.
It is really unfortunate that we find ourselves in a position where political opportunism has drowned out common sense and proper process. It was irresponsible for Mrs Dunne to undermine the integrity and reputation of the Human Rights Commission and the commissioner, and her actions have done nothing to help the children and young people detained in Bimberi or the staff who work at Bimberi.
The Children and Young People Commissioner is the independent authority that this Assembly has entrusted with a responsibility for protecting children and young people in our community, most particularly those children who come in contact with government services. The role of the commissioner is to consult with children and young people, resolve complaints and concerns about services for them and provide advice to government and community organisations about how to improve service delivery.
An additional benefit of the current inquiry is that not only will those involved in the inquiry report on recommendations for change within the youth justice system but they will be there after the inquiry—unlike those who would inquire under the Inquiries Act, who move on once it is finished. The commissioner for children and young people will continue to be there in order to play an oversight role in ensuring that there is implementation of recommendations and any issues that come out of the inquiry. They will play that monitoring and watchdog role.
All too often we see major pieces of work and research commissioned and recommendations made only to be put on the shelf and forgotten or not followed through completely. Bimberi and the youth justice system are too important for us to risk that type of outcome. It is critical that as part of this inquiry the commissioners will have a direct interest in seeing this work followed up and ensuring that real reform is achieved for staff and young people.
I think we are all aware of just how difficult and sensitive this inquiry will be and how urgent it is that we get it right. This is not something that should be played out in the media. It is particularly noteworthy that, despite the specific request from the person at the centre of Mrs Dunne’s allegations not to go public with the issue, Mrs Dunne has put it out there publicly, in the Canberra Times and on radio—out in that public arena. In that case there did not appear to be a lot of concern for the wishes of that person or their interests in not having it put out there in the public arena.
Mrs Dunne: If they had said, “Don’t do it,” I would not have done it.
MS HUNTER: From the information I have—the correspondence or the email that was presented or provided to me by Mrs Dunne—quite clearly this person was saying that they would continue to participate. They saw it as an extremely important inquiry.
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