Page 32 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 25 February 2014
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We are also aware of many cases reported in the media where young children have lost their lives due to the failure of authorities to act. It is these stories that show the statistics are more than just numbers; they are real lives, of very vulnerable children.
There was also the story of a baby girl who had been put into foster care without the father having any knowledge at all of the situation. He had in fact reported his daughter and wife as missing and was still not contacted by care and protection officials. It was the Children and Young People Commissioner who said the father should have been contacted to see if he was a suitable placement option, but this did not happen. The father of this baby was kept in the dark.
I have even received correspondence just this morning from constituents who heard of this no confidence motion and wanted to give me further information on why they believe the minister has failed in care and protection. There is case after case of the failings in care and protection.
If you look at Minister Burch’s press releases you would be forgiven for thinking all was now hunky-dory in care and protection. But I would like to remind everyone today it was only last month that the report on government services revealed that in fact the ACT lags in child protection. We spend less. We spend less not because we are more efficient but because we are delivering poorer outcomes. Each and every one of the children under Care and Protection Services is a valuable but oh so vulnerable life. We must be doing absolutely everything in our power to ensure the safety of our children. We need to look after them in the same way we would like our own children to be, but I am sad to say that this is not always the case.
In our system of government, ministers take responsibility for their department’s actions. Today this minister needs to take responsibility for the failings in her department. Several speakers from across the chamber have spoken today about this motion, referring to it as being politicising and attempting to sensationalise events in the media rather than a genuine attempt to address matters in this place. To this I have just three words: pot, kettle, black.
MR WALL (Brindabella) (11.31): This motion provides me with an opportunity to place on the record my long-held concerns about the mismanagement and lack of oversight Ms Burch has for her directorate, particularly Disability ACT. In my view this minister is a minister that is not across her brief. She is out of her depth and she is completely and utterly propped up by her directorate and her staff.
With just on four months remaining until the ACT transitions to the NDIS trial, there has been a complete absence of appropriate information provided to individuals or service providers. Much of the communication that has occurred has suggested that the directorate has everything under control and that more information will be provided at the appropriate time. Time is running out to alleviate the uncertainty that exists within the sector and the uncertainty created by the lack of information and the lack of direction from this government and, in particular, this minister.
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