Dr LIM - 2006-06-15
On 24 August 2004, nearly two years ago, your predecessor said the government would introduce a bill in November 2004 to overhaul the Community Welfare Act so that children would be better protected. The bill was going to enable child protection officers to take decisive action when required for the purpose of protecting children. She said at that time that, essentially, the Community Welfare Act was not up to the job and had not been reviewed for 20 years. I have checked the schedule of amendments in the back of the act and, other than a consequential amendment in 2005, it has not been touched since 2004. There is no evidence of any bill having been introduced for debate. It is nearly two years since the announcement was made. If your former minister said child protection is such a high priority, and the current act so inadequate, how do you explain your inaction?
ANSWER
Mr Acting Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. I have had a range of exchanges of correspondence with the Leader of the Opposition. She has shown an interest in this legislation, which I welcome.
As the Leader of the Opposition has been informed, that legislation has gone through the community consultation phases and went into a Parliamentary Counsel drafting phase. It then went into another consultation phase with specific stakeholders, such as the Law Society Northern Territory. As minister, I then took it upon myself to take it to another step. I asked …
Dr Lim: A long time ago.
Ms LAWRIE: No, actually, the information I am talking about is this year, it is quite current. I then took another step and sent the legislation to Professor Scott, a renowned specialist in child protection legislation who is based in South Australia, asking for her critical comment on the proposed draft legislation. She sent back some advice which, broadly, was that she thought that the legislation, in drafting stage, looked sound. There were some specific areas where she suggested there could be amendments to improve the legislation. I have taken on board every single one of her recommendations. I have had discussions with the agency. The particular expertise within the agency has been working for two years on this legislation. They have incorporated the recommendations of Professor Scott into the work they have done. That has gone back to Parliamentary Counsel for further drafting. The drafting phase is nearly final.
Once it is finally drafted, I will be taking that legislation to Cabinet for consideration. I am aiming to have that legislation in the parliament in the latter part of this year. I have been pushing towards August. However, realistically it is not going to be an August introduction. Therefore, I am hoping for the sittings after that, depending on its process through Cabinet. It is an enormous amount of reform contained in the legislation ...
Dr Lim: It has been two years.
Ms LAWRIE: It sets up significant changes in how we operate welfare legislation in the Territory. It is a very weighty piece of legislation. I hear you complaining, member for Greatorex, but even your own Leader of the Opposition has kept herself better informed than you as shadow spokesperson.
Ms Carney: Rubbish!
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: We are reforming legislation that has not been reformed in 20 years. It is critically important, to undertake such dramatic and radical reform to legislation because, as we all know, child protection systems have changed significantly in those 20 years. It is critically important that you actually get it right, which is why we went through an extensive public consultation phase, drafting with Parliamentary Counsel, and took the extra step or safeguard, if you like, of seeking expert advice from Professor Scott in the detail of the legislation. We have had further discussions with the Law Society Northern Territory and with the stakeholders in the legislation at hand, which is why I am not rushing at it at this stage. We are very close to final draft legislation, and I will steer that through the Cabinet process.
I thank my predecessor for the great work that she did as minister in bringing forward these reforms. Importantly, I would like to thank Parliamentary Counsel staff who have laboured over drafting this legislation, and also staff within my agency who have applied their expertise significantly to this legislation. I also thank Professor Scott for her very astute recommendations that we have taken on board.
ANSWER
Mr Acting Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. I have had a range of exchanges of correspondence with the Leader of the Opposition. She has shown an interest in this legislation, which I welcome.
As the Leader of the Opposition has been informed, that legislation has gone through the community consultation phases and went into a Parliamentary Counsel drafting phase. It then went into another consultation phase with specific stakeholders, such as the Law Society Northern Territory. As minister, I then took it upon myself to take it to another step. I asked …
Dr Lim: A long time ago.
Ms LAWRIE: No, actually, the information I am talking about is this year, it is quite current. I then took another step and sent the legislation to Professor Scott, a renowned specialist in child protection legislation who is based in South Australia, asking for her critical comment on the proposed draft legislation. She sent back some advice which, broadly, was that she thought that the legislation, in drafting stage, looked sound. There were some specific areas where she suggested there could be amendments to improve the legislation. I have taken on board every single one of her recommendations. I have had discussions with the agency. The particular expertise within the agency has been working for two years on this legislation. They have incorporated the recommendations of Professor Scott into the work they have done. That has gone back to Parliamentary Counsel for further drafting. The drafting phase is nearly final.
Once it is finally drafted, I will be taking that legislation to Cabinet for consideration. I am aiming to have that legislation in the parliament in the latter part of this year. I have been pushing towards August. However, realistically it is not going to be an August introduction. Therefore, I am hoping for the sittings after that, depending on its process through Cabinet. It is an enormous amount of reform contained in the legislation ...
Dr Lim: It has been two years.
Ms LAWRIE: It sets up significant changes in how we operate welfare legislation in the Territory. It is a very weighty piece of legislation. I hear you complaining, member for Greatorex, but even your own Leader of the Opposition has kept herself better informed than you as shadow spokesperson.
Ms Carney: Rubbish!
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: We are reforming legislation that has not been reformed in 20 years. It is critically important, to undertake such dramatic and radical reform to legislation because, as we all know, child protection systems have changed significantly in those 20 years. It is critically important that you actually get it right, which is why we went through an extensive public consultation phase, drafting with Parliamentary Counsel, and took the extra step or safeguard, if you like, of seeking expert advice from Professor Scott in the detail of the legislation. We have had further discussions with the Law Society Northern Territory and with the stakeholders in the legislation at hand, which is why I am not rushing at it at this stage. We are very close to final draft legislation, and I will steer that through the Cabinet process.
I thank my predecessor for the great work that she did as minister in bringing forward these reforms. Importantly, I would like to thank Parliamentary Counsel staff who have laboured over drafting this legislation, and also staff within my agency who have applied their expertise significantly to this legislation. I also thank Professor Scott for her very astute recommendations that we have taken on board.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016