Page 1013 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 30 March 2011
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to supervision and safety issues in the woodwork workshop. DET had been very clear in its letter to the teacher and the Human Rights Commission that the request to remove that teacher had nothing to do with the attendance at the Bimberi inquiry.
Opposition members interjecting—
MS BURCH: They are now making allegations that officers in the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services and officers in the Department of Education and Training are covering up and lying. Is that what you are doing? Shame, shame, shame on you.
The teacher commenced at METC on 22 November and was employed to work on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This year the teacher was given orientation to the METC site, when he came back and participated in three of the five days induction program in the week starting 21 January. He attended for three days. He was employed for three days. On one of these occasions he was spoken to in regard to the use of his duress alarm, as he indicated that he did not want to carry one on his person.
He was counselled on 24 February by Mr Watson, Mr Leper and Ms Warner. This was in relation to his supervision practices and an allegation of bringing contraband into the centre, securing waste materials and following centre protocols. DET formally wrote to the teacher on 10 March addressing his concerns and asking him to seek clarification in regard to the cessation of employment with Caloola. DET stated once that he sought clarification and would be able to discuss further concerns. DET also wrote to the human rights commissioner this week clarifying that his employment was ceased not as a result of him talking to the human rights commissioner.
Another comment Mrs Dunne has made is that a female called in and said that she had been stood down. “Stood down” were the words you used—
Mrs Dunne: The words she used.
MS BURCH: Well, you are putting it out there, Mrs Dunne. Can I say that I have on record that two staff have been stood down from Bimberi, and I made that point yesterday.
Mrs Dunne: She didn’t work at Bimberi when she was stood down, Joy, and you know that.
MS BURCH: Well, you used the words “stood down”. Two staff had been moved from Bimberi and located within DHCS to two sites. In late 2010 youth detention made a written complaint to the director of youth with comments about lack of respect by senior staff and derogatory, unprofessional remarks made to her about others. This officer was transferred to other duties at her own request. She is still in the employ of DHCS. There is no stand-down and there is no link. That move happened before the Human Rights Commission inquiry was even instigated.
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