Page 4511 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 18 October 2011
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If you think it is not serious, if you think it is just the opposition saying this, let me read from the press release put out today by the Grandparent and Kinship Carer Association, entitled “Public Advocate report confirms on-going systemic abuse in the ACT care and protection unit”:
The Grandparent & Kinship Carer Association of the ACT … today welcomed the release of a damning Interim Report by the Public Advocate, Anita Phillips, into the Care & Protection Unit and its responses to children in crisis in the ACT.
The press release talks about an email that was sent to Ms Burch by the president, Marion Le:
I have read the interim report and noted that many of the issues raised are ones that we have been raising constantly with the Department. I also note that these are migrant families and I have consistently asked about assistance to such families and the lack of culturally appropriate interventions. At the moment I am involved with another case where the intervention of the C&P is in my view, and in the view of others involved in assisting the family, inappropriate and damaging.
Further:
It is appalling that ACT Government Departments are failing to implement stated Government policy in this vital area of need—proper communication.
The press release states:
Mrs Le said it had been almost two years since she had highlighted the view of her Association that the C&P Unit was engaged in “systemic abuse” of children and carers alike and she said that this view was now endorsed by others.
“In an email I received recently, which is indicative of the views of many, one woman stated:
‘They appear incapable of acting truly in the interests of children and those who are their volunteer carers. Their processes are slap-happy, often outside their legal powers and they absolutely don’t learn from or often even acknowledge, their mistakes. They don’t understand or use fair processes, rarely document their reasons for decision, hold secret records that one is unable to access using the ordinary citizens’ tools, and often have records that contain massive inaccuracies.’
So there are significant concerns in that community and, as I said, these are concerns that were raised over two years ago. For the minister to come into this place and suggest that this was something she did not know about is not an excuse. As Ms Hunter said, it does not excuse her. The minister was not aware of the full scope of what was happening. It does not excuse her. That is correct, because, under the Westminster parliamentary system, we have enough evidence to show that this minister has behaved in a fashion that precludes her from continuing as a minister.
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