Page 2385 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 31 July 2018
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parental agreement in certain circumstances, but the structure of the act and the inconsistent language in those particular sections has caused interpretation issues. That is exactly what we have said; that is exactly why we are moving this amendment bill. There is nothing new in that assertion. However, I completely reject Mrs Kikkert’s assertion that CYPS fails to train staff in their rights and responsibilities and that this failure places them in a dangerous situation. That is completely unfounded rhetoric on her part.
As you are well aware, Madam Speaker, child protection staff do a very difficult job and they are sometimes in very difficult and potentially dangerous circumstances because they work with some of the most vulnerable families in our community. They work with families who are in extremely stressful and difficult situations. Sometimes those families do not respond well to having a child protection worker turn up at their home or to be made aware that child protection has an interest in their lives. The senior officials I work with have an absolute commitment to the staff in CYPS and ensuring they are supported to do their work. I want to thank them very much for the hard and difficult work they do every day.
That said, once again I thank everyone for their consideration and support of this bill, and I commend it to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Prostitution Amendment Bill 2018
Debate resumed from 7 June 2018, on motion by Mr Rattenbury:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (12.04): Madam Speaker, I am sure you and other members know that I do not embrace the claimed legitimacy of prostitution, which was decriminalised in the ACT some years ago. I have reservations about the way that prostitution is administered, or not, in the ACT. Has decriminalisation made prostitution safer? Perhaps in some respects it has, but it remains in any event a risky enterprise, primarily for the workers in the industry but also for the clients.
There have been recent media reports about a raid on a Canberra brothel, leading to an investigation of human trafficking. WorkSafe ACT has issued prohibition notices. According to media reports, WorkSafe ACT has issued a number of prohibition and improvement notices on escort and associated businesses in Fyshwick after identifying serious safety issues, including electrical safety, fire risks and hygiene, such as high levels of mould.
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