2010-02-18
Child Protection System –
Minister’s Responsibility
Minister’s Responsibility
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, the latest in a long line of Labor child protection ministers tabled yet another report into the Territory’s broken child protection system. The report provides a glimpse into a chaotic, dysfunctional system; a system that has seen vulnerable children pay the ultimate price because of profound political failure. Each successive child protection minister has assured Territorians that the system is improving when, in fact, it has been descending into chaos. Why is it that children in protection have lost their lives, but no child protection minister has lost their job?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the question from the Leader of the Opposition. Protecting children is the responsibility of everyone. First and foremost it is the responsibility of families. Having strong, functional families caring for children is the first responsibility of any adult who has children. It is the responsibility of society to identify when children are at risk, or being abused and reporting them to the authorities. It is then the responsibility of the authorities to pick up the pieces as they fall through the cracks.
What we have seen, in a succession of reports is, yes, we do need to significantly improve our child protection system. Since we have been in government, we have invested over $90m a year into child protection services. When we came to government, the child protection budget was a paltry $7m a year. When we came to government, there was no dedicated after hours service to respond to reports of child abuse in the Northern Territory – no dedicated after hours service at all. We have been building this system from the ground up.
We have also introduced legislation to make it mandatory and compulsory for people to report children at risk. Tragically, we have seen a 69% increase, which has come about because of the requirement for mandatory reporting, and the promotion of that by this government. I do accept that, in those reports, which were tabled yesterday and tabled previously, the capacity within the department to respond to each and every case has not been there. That is why I initiated the most broad-ranging inquiry the Territory has ever seen; that is why this government is committed up-front to implementing the recommendations that come out of this inquiry. Anyone who reads any of those cases that have been reported - it is an absolute tragedy, not only for the kids, but for families and the whole community.
We are certainly committed. We have been building this system from the ground up. It barely existed when we came to government. Now over $90m a year is being spent on this system, including hundreds of extra workers, and the community is now reporting - which is good - but we need to do much better. We have initiated the inquiry. The reports handed down by the minister yesterday, and I spoke to the minister this morning, have been immediately actioned and we will implement the recommendations that come out of the report.
Palmerston - Youth Antisocial Behaviour
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please update the House on the government’s initiatives to address youth antisocial behaviour in Palmerston?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. Last June, I attended a public meeting in Palmerston with the Lord Mayor, the Leader of the Opposition, and over 300 Palmerston residents to discuss the issue. As always, there is a small proportion of young people that disproportionately cause a large number of problems in our community. I made a commitment at that forum that we would take action, we would reduce the problem, and this government has.
What we have done since that meeting last June is provide additional funding for Mission Australia to now operate a proactive outreach service six days a week to engage with juveniles on the street, in a positive way, and point them to assistance where they need assistance. We have installed CCTV cameras in the Palmerston CBD and established a mobile Police Beat – which has been very well received by everyone in Palmerston.
Most importantly, through the police and a tasking and response group in Palmerston, 18 families have been focused on. From these 18 families, the core of disengaged youth who were causing problems have been engaged through family responsibility agreements, other interventions, and the core number of families within this cohort have seen a 60% reduction in police contact. Proactive, positive, multi-faceted intervention into families that are struggling and are dysfunctional has seen a 60% reduction of contact between police and these families.
We have ensured the Family Support Centre work was focused on Palmerston issues - that has been a real success. The Clontarf Football Academy at Palmerston High School is going from strength to strength, engaging young boys, keeping them at school, progressing them to a Year 12 outcome - congratulations to everybody in Clontarf in Palmerston - also working with the high school to get a beyond-the-gate interaction with their students and their families. Again, proactive outreach from the school working with those families.
All in all, we have seen a reduction in some of the youth crime issues we were seeing in Palmerston, as a result of a proactive police response, other agencies working together, and improved coordination with the non-government sector. Everyone coming together can make a difference. A 60% reduction of police contact with hard core youth offenders who were causing so much of this trouble has been a great result. I commend all the agencies which have been participating in this, and the non-government sector, that has contributed to significant improved results in Palmerston.
Deputy Chief Minister – Media Releases
Mr MILLS to DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER referred to CHIEF MINISTER
You were elevated to Cabinet on 12 July 2005, and then given responsibility for Family and Community Services, and Sport and Recreation. During the time you jointly held the two portfolios, you issued 50 media releases about Sport and Recreation, compared to just 12 in Family and Community Services. You issued more media releases about the Crusty Demons than about child protection. Why did you …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am asking whether this question is directly related to the Deputy Chief Minister’s portfolio.
Madam SPEAKER: Let us hear the question first. Keep going …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat. Continue please.
Mr MILLS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Why did you pay so little attention to the protection of children at risk of abuse?
Madam SPEAKER: I will seek advice before calling the minister.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The standing orders allow for ministers to be asked questions regarding matters in relation to their current portfolios. Leader of the Opposition, if you wish to ask that question of the Chief Minister, you are able to do so.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The recent amendment to Standing Order 109 in relation to questions seeking information simply says:
- Questions may be put to a minister relating to public affairs, to proceedings pending in the Assembly, or to any matter of administration for which they are responsible.
This minister carried that responsibility.
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: Are you going to sit like cowards behind the process …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, you can withdraw the comment ‘cowards’, thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: I withdraw the comment, Madam Speaker. Do not sit behind process when this serious issue is being debated. It is disgusting what is going on over here.
Mr Henderson: Feigned indignation!
Mr ELFERINK: Have you read this report?
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin! It is a very serious matter.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, I have sought advice. The standing orders are pretty clear that it has to be the current portfolios. If you wish to ask the Chief Minister, you may do so. You can direct the question to the Chief Minister.
Mr MILLS: Madam Speaker, I have to then change to recognise this question now has to be asked of the person who employed the former child protection minister. Responsibility ultimately sits with the Chief Minister, and I need to do that. Preventing me from asking questions of those who carry responsibility, burying reports - that may be something they are happy with, but I will ask the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, we have standing orders, and they state it has to be the current portfolios for which people have responsibility. Do you wish to ask the question, Leader of the Opposition, or will I call for another question?
Mr MILLS: For the sake of the process, I will then direct the question to the man who is responsible for the appointment of the successive ministers.
The Deputy Chief Minister - I hope this question now suits - was elevated to Cabinet on 12 July 2005 and given responsibility for Family and Community Services, and Sport and Recreation. During the time the Deputy Chief Minister jointly held the two portfolios, the now Deputy Chief Minister issued 50 media releases about Sport and Recreation, compared to just 12 in the Family and Community Services area. The Deputy Chief Minister issued more press releases about the Crusty Demons than about child protection.
Is it acceptable, in your view, for a minister to pay so little attention to the protection of children at risk?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the nonsensical question from …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: I am happy to have a debate about child protection, because there is nothing more important for all of us than the care and protection of children. This should not be a political football; this should be something that concerns everyone in the Northern Territory …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. … for all of us - families, community and government.
I have been in the Cabinet room from the day this government came to office. I have worked with a number of ministers who have held this portfolio, including you, Madam Speaker. I can say, in this House, every single submission that has come forward from the day we came to government, seeking more resources for the families and children area, has seen more resources allocated by this government. Madam Speaker, I well recall when you …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Mr HENDERSON: The member for Fong Lim would have no idea, Madam Speaker. This is a serious issue and I would appreciate being able to answer serious questions in silence without interjection.
The absolute total lack of funding that was in FACS at the time we came to government, the huge exposures there were in the child protection system, were immediately identified, and additional resources allocated. As I have said, less than $7m in 2001, over $90m today; and hundreds of new support workers. When we came to government, if there was a child at risk, or if there had been a reported abuse after hours, there was no after hours contact.
If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get cute about press releases, the minister for FACS is dealing with highly confidential, personal, distressing reports of child abuse on a day-to-day basis – that is not the sort of stuff you put press releases out on. If you want to play silly games like this, let us go back through the Hansard and see, when they were in government, how many ministerial statements they brought to this House about child protection. Madam Speaker, how many statements did they bring through? It would have been zero. It would be lucky to have been one. It was out of sight …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … the further out of sight, and the further out of mind …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Alcohol-Fuelled Crime Levels
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for ALCOHOL POLICY
Can you update the House of the levels of alcohol-fuelled crime in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. It is a critically important question when you look at the underlying causes of the assaults and, indeed, the dysfunction we have across our society. In the Territory, 59% of our assaults involve alcohol; 51% of assaults involve domestic violence. It is clear that if you are not tackling alcohol abuse, then you are not tackling crime, such as crimes perpetrated against children. The majority of Territorians enjoy drinking, and the government understands this.
We are committed to protecting people from those drinkers who are doing the wrong thing and wrecking it for everyone. We have an approach which is multi-faceted; it targets all aspects of alcohol abuse, including supply issues, right through to rehabilitation issues. Under the Henderson government, there are now over 300 treatment and sobering-up beds in the Territory.
Problems with alcohol differ from region to region, and different solutions are required to reflect what is occurring at the local level. That is why we are rolling out alcohol management plans. I have agreed with both the Lord Mayor of Darwin, and the Mayor of Palmerston, to work together to establish an alcohol management plan for Darwin and Palmerston.
In contrast to this cooperative approach, earlier this week we saw the Leader of the Opposition out there attacking, attempting to monster the Palmerston City Council and its Mayor for looking at an alcohol management plan. As the Mayor of Palmerston said earlier this week: ‘… Terry has been against it all the way through …’. We know the CLP’s approach to alcohol is to pour more fuel on the problem; sell more alcohol. When we know that 59% of assaults are alcohol-related they want to open up the rivers of grog and put more fuel on the problem. They have no new ideas, and they certainly have no credibility when it comes to reducing violent crime across our community.
Child Protection System –
Minister’s Responsibility
Minister’s Responsibility
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
My question was for the Deputy Chief Minister, the former child protection minister but, due to process, I will now be asking it of the Chief Minister.
The Deputy Chief Minister issued a media release about child protection on 7 June 2006, which stated: ‘When a report of child abuse or neglect is received, we investigate immediately’. That is what the media release said. The recent coroner’s report into the shocking death of Deborah Melville, details allegations of physical abuse suffered by Kevin Melville, Deborah’s brother, which were never investigated by FACS even though it came to their attention via a letter from the assistant principal of Humpty Doo Primary School.
Is it acceptable in your view, in a Territory Labor government, for a minister to be either deliberately ignorant of their portfolio responsibilities, or mis-speak when it comes to matters of child protection?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I point out to the Leader of the Opposition that the high risk audit was instigated by the minister immediately these issues came to the fore. That high risk audit was commissioned immediately and reported yesterday. This is a government which has taken consistent steps to improve child protection. Any child …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr Tollner: It has descended into chaos.
Mr HENDERSON: We know the chaos which exists in the member for Fong Lim’s mind. We have taken consistent steps. In 2001-02, immediately we came to government - let us look at the budget of $7m, given the fact we had $100m dollar deficit we inherited - we immediately increased funding by $2.5m; a 30% increase; that was the priority. We had no money for anything else; a 30% increase to the child protection budget. In 2003, we announced an additional $53.8m over five years. When the member for Arafura came into …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: This is a narrative that we do not care about children; it is an offensive narrative, and it is beneath the dignity of the Leader of the Opposition. A significant effort has been made by my government, my predecessor, to consistently …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: In 2005, we created an intensive family support service to work with families at risk; we opened the Bushmob Place of Safety for Volatile Substance Abuse and alcohol and other drugs facility; we had Closing the Gap. We introduced mandatory reporting of domestic violence. We funded the Strong Men’s Council to talk to men about these issues. We oversaw the implementation of safe houses and the expansion of child protection services into remote areas.
As I have said, under the previous government, out of sight, out of mind! Child protection only existed in Darwin and Alice Springs. We then amended the Care and Protection of Children Act. We announced the first comprehensive inquiry into the child protection system, and have allocated over $90m.
We are determined, where families fail, where the community fails, to strengthen government’s ability to step in, and we will do that. The reason we have seen an increase in notifications is because we are the government that had the courage to introduce mandatory reporting; we are the government that had the courage to make suspicion of child abuse mandatory reporting, not just actual child abuse. That is what is driving up these numbers. We have responded and we will continue to respond …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Ms ANDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Just to educate this parliament that it was mandatory to report every child in the Northern Territory …
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, member for Macdonnell, resume your seat.
National Archives– Retention of Service
in the Northern Territory
in the Northern Territory
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for ARTS and MUSEUMS
It was announced last year by the Commonwealth that they intended to close down the National Archives office in Millner in September 2010. As you would know, the National Archives Office holds records dating back to the first meteorological recordings for the township site of Palmerston on Adam Bay to records of World War II, Cyclone Tracy, and the establishment of Uluru and Kakadu National Parks.
What is your government doing to retain the National Archives in the Northern Territory so it can still be accessed by Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. It has been a job I have been working on very recently. It was a good summary of the Archives in the Northern Territory. The Henderson government is opposed to the loss of any materials from our Commonwealth Archives which hold significance for all Territorians.
On 9 November 2009, the National Archives announced it intended to close its Hobart, Adelaide and Darwin offices over the next three years. Disappointingly, we heard the Darwin office at Millner is planning to close at the end of its current lease, which is in September 2010.
I have raised concerns from Territorians with the federal government. I have asked my department to explore options to retain as much of the archives as possible in the Northern Territory. Yesterday, the CEO of my department met with the Director-General of National Archives in a great effort to keep those archives here in the Territory.
We will continue to work with National Archives to ensure these important records are maintained for Territorians. I will keep the House informed of this progress, Madam Speaker.
Family and Children’s Services –
Palmerston Office
Palmerston Office
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
You well know the Deputy Chief Minister was responsible for child protection in the Northern Territory when Deborah Melville, a child officially in her care, died in the most shocking circumstances imaginable. Days later, the Deputy Chief Minister told the media she hoped a review of the death of a child did not show a breakdown of the system.
The coroner’s report describes the Palmerston office, which was responsible for the direct care of Deborah Melville, as ‘imploding’, ‘being in crisis’, and ‘one of madness’. How was it that, after two years as the Minister for Family and Community Services, the Palmerston FACS office, for which the Deputy Chief Minister was responsible, was in such chaos?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as I have said before, as Chief Minister, I have initiated the widest-ranging, most extensive, public inquiry into child protection since self-government in the Northern Territory. I do that as Chief Minister, on behalf of all children of the Northern Territory, to ensure we have the best child protection service we possibly can have.
There is no doubt there have been, and continue to be, significant issues within the department; very significant issues that have failed Territory children. We have significant problems in recruiting and retaining qualified people to work in a very difficult area, as with every other jurisdiction in Australia. But, as a government, we have taken step after step to strengthen and build child protection in the Northern Territory. Is there more to do? Absolutely.
Every report that has made recommendations to government has been acted on; every funding request that has come forward for additional staff has been funded. When we came to power in 2001, there was a paltry $7m a year and no after-hours service at all anywhere in the Northern Territory; no child protection officers outside the main centres of Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs, and certainly none in the bush. The budget has gone from $7m to over $90m, and if we have to invest more we will invest more – that is an absolute commitment.
We are also committed, as the minister said, if people within that agency are not doing the right thing, then there needs to be a broom put through the place, and that will occur. However, this is a very difficult and complex area. The first responsibility for children remains with families, so strengthening families is absolutely paramount. That is what we have done consistently since we came to government. We are building houses in the bush at a rate they have never been built before …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Anything outside of Darwin had a big veil over it when they were in government …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: ... services in the bush, health care in the bush, mandatory reporting, not only of domestic violence but raising the threshold …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Child Abuse Task Force - Update
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
The Child Abuse Task Force is one part of a range of strategies to combat and prevent child abuse. Could you please update the Assembly on the activities of the task force?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. It is an important question. It shows a number of steps we have taken along the way to deal with this issue.
The Child Abuse Task Force was initiated between the Deputy Chief Minister as FACS minister and me as Police minister in 2006. The creation of the task force facilitated improved levels of communication, coordination and information sharing between agencies. The task force includes Northern Territory Police and Australian Federal Police investigators, intelligence officers, child protection practitioners, and the Department of Health and Families, and support staff. There is a total of 35 employees deployed to support the task force operations.
Not only do they investigate complaints, jointly between police, FACS and the AFP, they also engage in extensive community engagement, with a primary focus on raising awareness and education on preventative and protective behaviour for children, and promoting the fact that it is mandatory to report. There is actually a communication and promotion campaign by FACS and police to say you have to report children at risk - not children who have actually been abused, as used to be the case under the community welfare, but children at risk.
Since it was established, the task force has made 99 arrests; 94 matters are currently under investigation in a proactive, joined-up way between police and FACS; and 53 matters are currently before the courts. This has been a significant investment in child protection.
The government will continue to resource the task force, together with other strong measures to combat and prevent child abuse. As I have been showing today, we have taken a series of steps to build the system. We have a long way to go to build capacity in the system, but the Child Abuse Task Force is doing its job - 99 arrests since it was started and 53 matters currently before the courts.
Family and Children’s Services –
Reporting to Minister
Reporting to Minister
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Page 21 of the coroner’s report into the death of Deborah Melville details case workers reported their inability to fulfil their statutory obligations to their team leaders; who reported this failure to their superiors; who reported it to the senior manager of the Darwin office; who reported it to the Director of Families and Children’s Services who, in turn, reported it to the CEO of the department.
Over the same period, the Deputy Chief Minister repeatedly denied there was a crisis in child protection. Surely you do not expect anyone to believe the passing of this information up the chain stopped before it reached the minister? Is not your deputy’s implausible denial of knowledge and responsibility just another example of the culture of cover-up that characterises this Labor government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there has not been a government in the Northern Territory’s history that has been more open and transparent on this issue. We have introduced legislation …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: We have increased the number of workers. We have introduced new legislation that has raised the threshold in terms of mandatory reporting of children at risk. We introduced that legislation. We are the government that established an independent Children’s Commissioner. We are the government that expanded the out-of-home care system in the Northern Territory. We are the government that established the Child Abuse Task Force. We are the government that has increased the budget from a paltry $7m a year, with no out of hours contact service at all, 9 am to 5 pm - you could report if it was 9 am to 5 pm, if it was after that, no staff there to take those reports - to a 24 hour service. We are the government that has increased the budget to over $90m …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I raise the issue of relevance. The implausibility of the assertions made by the Chief Minister - this is implausible.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe the Chief Minister is answering the question.
Mr HENDERSON: I am the Chief Minister that initiated, on request from the minister at the time, the most wide-ranging public inquiry into child protection in the Territory’s history. Legislation we introduced requires us to make reports like the minister tabled yesterday, and the legislation requires us to table those reports. This is legislation we introduced to improve and increase transparency in this area. This is legislation that …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question to the Chief Minister was quite clear. It was: how can people be expected to believe the minister was not aware of all of these allegations that went right up to the …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, what is the point of order?
Mr TOLLNER: Relevance, Madam Speaker. He was asked a very direct question …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat. There are only 40 seconds left for the minister …
Mr Tollner: And so he will not answer it?
Madam SPEAKER: Answer as close as possible to the question, which was quite long.
Mr HENDERSON: The question was long, and this is a complex area. The Leader of the Opposition …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: If the Leader of the Opposition thinks there are simple solutions …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr Mills: Madam Speaker, this is about the truth and not covering up and excusing your colleagues.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Mills: It is disgraceful.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Chief Minister, you have 10 seconds.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Can you resume your seats.
I am quite concerned about the level of points of order during that question which made it impossible for the Chief Minister to have adequate time to respond. I will allow the Chief Minister to have an extra 30 seconds, if he wishes, to respond in that time. When the Leader of the Opposition wished to recast his question - I gave you extra time there, Leader of the Opposition - I will allow the Chief Minister to answer the question in the next 30 seconds if he wishes to.
Chief Minister, do you wish to avail yourself of that?
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was making the point it is this government that has been the most open, transparent and accountable government in dealing with what is a very sensitive and very complex set of issues that need to be out in the open, and need to be debated. That is why we have a wide-ranging public inquiry happening at the moment, so we can strengthen our child protection system in the Northern Territory. It is this government which initiated that inquiry.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! During that interchange, the member for Fong Lim called the Chief Minister a grub. I ask him to withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, I ask you to withdraw that comment.
Mr TOLLNER: No, that is not true. However, Madam Speaker, if it pleases the Leader of Government Business, I will withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
A Working Future – Funding for Outstations
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS DEVELOPMENT
The government’s A Working Future policy includes the decision to continue the policy of no new outstations and homelands. Can the minister tell the parliament exactly how many new outstations have received direct government funding, or a commitment of direct government funding, to establish new infrastructure since the government introduced A Working Future policy in May 2009?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. Yesterday, the member for Macdonnell asked me about a particular place near Alice Springs. One of the good things I can report to the House on that particular issue was the classification of that land, member for Macdonnell, it was an excision of pastoral land, so there is an Indigenous Land Use Agreement under the Native Title Act regarding that place.
As I said yesterday, the Northern Territory government has $20m for almost 500 outstations. The concern from many Indigenous people across the Northern Territory is the next step, and how are people on those outstations going to continue.
Our government wants to encourage different ways for Indigenous people to look at having business on their land. We look at the native …
Ms ANDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I need to call a point of order because my question is very direct to this parliament, and for the minister to answer the question. I know for a fact that $40 000 was given to this …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Macdonnell, what is the point of order?
Ms ANDERSON: The point of order is relevance, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: All right. Resume your seat. Minister, if you can answer the question as closely as possible.
Ms McCARTHY: In terms of encouraging Indigenous people across the Northern Territory to maintain existence on homelands and outstations, of course, we welcome that. However, we recognise, in terms of funding, we only have $20m for close to 500 outstations. We certainly are not about trying to increase the number of outstations when we know we only have $20m for almost 500. Our focus is on the 20 growth towns, and naturally, that has to begin with a strong partnership between the federal and Northern Territory governments, and we are doing that. What I want to see, and be happy to provide, is ongoing process of what we are doing regarding looking for funding in those areas.
Family and Domestic Violence
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
This government has consistently taken a tough approach in tackling domestic and family violence. Can the minister please outline what actions have been taken in an effort to stamp out family and domestic violence?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I disagree with the member for Fong Lim. Family and domestic violence is not a joke; it is a serious issue. Half the assaults in the Territory are due to family violence, and I urge all my colleagues here, and every Territorian, to report it. We all have situations of family violence within our own family; I had one with my sister. There was no requirement, no mechanism to report it at the time, 20 to 25 years ago, but I still remember my sister’s black eye. I believe many of you had the same situation in your own house. We have to tackle it; we are committed to tackling it.
Some of you were policemen, and you have seen the situation at places where you were called because of family violence. That affects not only individuals, it affects children, and it affects families.
We have invested $50m over three years to tackle family violence. We have made the reporting of domestic violence mandatory. We have also provided opportunities for communities to tackle this issue.
Since January 2009, in partnership with the Australian government, we have created 19 safe places across 15 remote communities to provide support for a safe environment, and venues for safe providers for any individuals. They have already been accessed by 501 clients: 206 women, 224 children, and 21 men. We have allocated $3.5m for domestic and family violence shelters to protect the most vulnerable people in our society. We provided $245 000 to Catholic Care to facilitate the Northern Territory Strong Men’s Council, which is led by Charlie King. Unfortunately, the perpetrators of domestic violence are, in the majority, men, and it is up to men to show the way forward.
We have conducted an education campaign on radio and television. We have achieved much with good legislation in place, and we will run educational programs. We have to tackle domestic violence, not only us as government, but us as a community.
Child Protection - Repeated Denial of Crisis
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
An interesting question in light of the answer we just received to a dorothy dixer. In response to a question from the member for Araluen about child protection on 22 October 2009, the then Minister for Children and Families, the member for Arnhem, stated:
- … yes, I am satisfied that the department is doing the best that it can, given the resources that our government has committed to the area of child protection in the Northern Territory.
Given that the Bath intake report, tabled yesterday, shows there was a backlog of 1200 reports of child abuse or neglect not investigated within the time frame, and some cases were written off without any investigation, will you admit that her repeated denial of the crisis engulfing child protection has placed many vulnerable children at risk?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as I repeatedly say, there is nothing more important for our society than the protection of our children. That belongs at home, in the first instance, with the families. In regard to the report tabled yesterday as a result of legislation we brought to the House that made it legal to table these reports, the 69% increase we have seen in notifications is, no doubt, as a result of the change in legislation that we put into place in this parliament that requires mandatory reporting for children at risk, as opposed to mandatory reporting for children who have been abused. That has led to a significant increase. There is no doubt we will have to increase the funding to the agency to recruit more staff.
Let us understand there are many staff who work in this agency, who give their heart and soul to this job. It is a very difficult job. Emotionally, it must be absolutely traumatising in many circumstances. As a parliament, we need to support the people who are doing very difficult work; not denigrate the work they do. It is an extraordinary job they do on behalf of the children of the Northern Territory who do fall through the cracks.
I stand here as the Chief Minister who has initiated the widest-ranging inquiry into child protection in the Territory’s history; we will implement those recommendations; we will continue to build this system, as we have from the day we came to government. We will continue to build this system. I stand here and support the people who work in this agency, the people at the front line who do a very difficult job. There is a complex set of social issues that lead to child abuse, particularly family breakdown; and these are other issues that this government is tackling in a multifaceted way.
We have the child protection inquiry at the moment. I urge the opposition to support the inquiry, not talk it down; to encourage people to make submissions to the inquiry without fear or favour. I have not heard a positive word from the opposition in regard to this inquiry …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … to support this inquiry, call on people to make submissions to this inquiry so we can come out with a stronger system at the end of the inquiry.
Alice Springs CBD –
Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
The government has a range of strategies to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Can you please update the House on the recent operation in the Alice Springs CBD area?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this goes in large part to protecting children in our community. Last week, the Minister for Central Australia, the Police Commissioner and I announced new measures to combat truancy and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs
I would like to report on a multi-agency operation run last weekend to address youth crime and antisocial behaviour in the CBD. The agencies involved were the Northern Territory Police, NT Families and Children’s Youth Services, the Family Support Centre, Department of Justice, including licensing inspectors, the Alice Springs Town Council rangers, Tangentyere youth and night patrols, and the Congress outreach workers. There was a combination of foot and mobile patrols used over two nights.
As the result of the operation, a total of 195 people were spoken to; 105 were moved on; 23 litres of alcohol destroyed; 12 people were taken into protective custody; 65 youths were conveyed home utilising youth patrol and Congress - so this goes to the issue of protecting children; six information reports were submitted; and, one arrest was made for drink-driving.
There has been much debate about very young children on the streets of Alice Springs at night. Significantly, no young children between the ages of zero to 10 were located wandering the streets unsupervised by an adult. Youths located and spoken to ranged from the ages of 13 to 22, and 65 of those were conveyed home, as I have said.
The operation was a success. The government will continue to develop new response arrangements between the police, Children and Families, and schools in Central Australia. All agencies are very keen to participate in this. We will continue to strengthen our response in Alice Springs to the issues of children on the street at night. I remind all honourable members that, under the Care and Protection of Children Act, if you see very young children on the street late at night, it is mandatory to report, not just create a newspaper headline.
Mr Giles: What a disgraceful slur that was.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Giles: Check your police records and listen to who is talking.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Braitling!
Mr Giles: Listen to the member for Macdonnell talking to police. Disgraceful!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, you are on a warning!
Tenders – Delays in Processing
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for CONSTRUCTION
In October 2009, tenders closed for a building project which has only now been awarded, four months later. The project is around $14m and is over budget by approximately $1m. The Rosebery school tender, worth $56m, was $9m over budget, and was awarded within seven days of the tender closing. Can you explain why procedures for approving tenders vary so much - seven days to four months? Is the development of the Territory being severely hampered because your department is under-resourced? Is that why a joke going around amongst builders is that the department’s one-stop shop is correctly named because everything that goes in there stops?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. The construction of the Rosebery Primary and Middle Schools to the value of $59m is an exciting new development for the Northern Territory. As a major project, it had a level of urgency because the Henderson government wants those two schools up and running by the beginning of 2011
The project development group and tender assessment panel for the Rosebery schools worked extremely hard to ensure the contractors were out on the job as quickly as possible to get that project under way. Many tenders do not require urgent works or assessment. A good example is the bush road upgrades, where there could be four months between tender and works commencing. These are occasions where tenders can take longer. There is a range of factors that determine the evaluation period for assessing tenders as well: the availability of specialist evaluators, the total number of tenders received, and the quality of tender documentation. In some instances, tenderers are given the opportunity to present to an assessment panel.
We must also be very careful to ensure appropriate controls and processes are in place. We always try to process tenders quickly, as far as possible, remembering there must be checks and balances maintained.
Regarding the last part of the question, I have been busy visiting the department. I have met some wonderful people who are doing a wonderful job, not only in the work they do and have done for a very long time, but in the job of skilling up me, as well and working as a team.
Child Protection System –
Minister’s Responsibility
Minister’s Responsibility
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
It required one week of unrelenting public pressure over the infliction of brain damage on a motherless infant for the member for Arnhem, as Child Protection Minister, to initiate the intake inquiry by the Children’s Commissioner. Throughout that week, the member for Arnhem maintained child protection services were functioning effectively. This report, tabled yesterday, shows nothing could be further from the truth.
Is it acceptable for a minister in your government to be ignorant of her portfolio responsibilities, or deliberately mislead Territorians about the state of child protection? That is acceptable, is it?
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition well knows he cannot accuse any member of misleading the House unless he wants to do so by way of substantive motion. I urge you to ask him to withdraw.
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker! No such accusation was made. The accusation was she had misled Territorians.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe the question did not actually say that she had. It was more vague than that.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the question was certainly misleading, because it was the member for Arnhem who called for the inquiry.
Mr Mills: As a result of public pressure.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: It was the member for Arnhem who called for the inquiry. It was the current minister who tabled the results of this inquiry, in an open and transparent way, in this parliament yesterday.
We have been determined all along to continue to build and strengthen this system. There is no doubt this system is under incredible strain as a result of a significant increase in notifications. I have initiated the widest-ranging public inquiry; an open, transparent public inquiry, and I urge Territorians who want to make a contribution to this inquiry to do so.
There have been scurrilous allegations made that people could be in fear of retribution. I can say nothing is further from the truth. I believe every member of the department has been given a letter from the minister encouraging them to contribute to this inquiry. Obviously, internal systems have to be stronger, we need more childcare workers, and we have committed that we will implement what comes out of the recommendations in the report.
In regard to the two reports tabled yesterday, I spoke with the minister this morning. He has given me an absolute commitment that all of those recommendations either have been, or will be, implemented with a matter of urgency, whilst the inquiry is taking place. The minister said he would take urgent action, and he has. The previous minister was the minister who initiated the inquiry, and we are the ones that have made the results of that inquiry public in an open and transparent way.
ABS Crime Victimisation Statistics
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Can you update the House on the contents of the ABS Crime Victimisation statistics released earlier today?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy. The Australian Bureau of Statistics Crime Victimisation statistics released today report on the perceptions of crime and were compiled by phone surveys. The ABS statistics demonstrate levels of crime victimisation perceptions are higher in the Territory than the national average. Perceptions are very important, but this explains some of the differences between the figures in this ABS report and our own crime statistics, which are based on actual reports, not perceptions.
It is not possible in three minutes to outline all the statistics within the report; however, it does demonstrate what we already know - crime rates in the Territory are too high. Our own crime statistics tell us 59% of all assaults in the Territory are alcohol-related, and 51% are domestic violence. The ABS report outlines that, Australia-wide, young people are much more likely to be a victim of assault. Victimisation nationally in terms of rates for physical assault was 8.7% for people aged 15 to 19 years, and 0.4% for people aged 65 or over. Since we have such a young population in the Territory you can see why our figures, naturally, are higher than the average. The report also shows that half, 49%, of assaults on females occur in the victim’s home. The report also shows that, for 62% of assaults, the offender was known to the victim. It was not a random assault.
These figures support what our own crime statistics show us, that is, the biggest contributors to crime in the Territory are alcohol and domestic violence - 59% of assaults in the Territory are alcohol-related. If you are not tackling alcohol abuse, you are not tackling crime. The contents of this report shows and confirms we are on the right track in tackling alcohol as a fundamental underlying cause of crime; tackling domestic violence and, importantly, providing more police out there to tackle crime.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Could you ask the minister to table the document she was reading from?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, is the document a public document you are willing to table, or is it a private …
Ms LAWRIE: As the member for Fong Lim well knows, I was referring to my notes, which includes the crime statistics.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no requirement to table it.
Child Protection under the Labor Government
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Territorians have suffered a decade of deceit when it comes to child protection; a decade of denial about the crisis engulfing the system; a decade of the state failing to stand up and protect the innocent Territory children.
Will you finally admit your successive Territory Labor governments have deliberately, deceitfully and wilfully lied to Territorians about the true extent …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, you need to reword that question as you know it is out of order.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Motion of Censure
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): If that is the case, Madam Speaker, I move - That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent this House censuring the Chief Minister …
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): We accept the motion of censure. I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Madam SPEAKER: We will wait for the cameras to be removed.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016