Questions without notice and ministers statements
Child protection
Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:21): (9) My question today is for the minister for child protection. Minister, in 2014 fewer than one in 16 Indigenous children were in child protection. The new Andrews Labor government committed to reducing that proportion. However, new data from the Report on Government Services shows it has increased by 63 per cent. Minister, what has gone wrong?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Minister for Child Protection and Family Services) (13:22): Thank you, Dr Bach, for your question. Given the issues that we are talking about, could I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting and pay respects to them and their elders past and present. I also acknowledge, I think, given the topic relating to the question that Dr Bach has asked, the challenging circumstances around this and in particular the evidence that was very bravely given to Yoorrook just before Christmas in relation to these issues. I know at that time the Premier made some very clear statements about Indigenous children in the child protection system and Indigenous children in care and, in particular, vulnerable Indigenous families. It is clear that we need to do more, and the Premier has made it very clear that we need to do more in relation to Aboriginal children who find themselves at many points in the system, both the statutory and the non-statutory system – the family services system and the child protection system. There are too many children in care, and I note Dr Bach’s comments in relation to these issues in Sky News opinion pieces over Christmas on wanting to work with us on that. I welcome that, and I look forward to working with you and this Parliament as a whole to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous children in care.