Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bartlett for what was his last question and for his ongoing interest in these issues. The government believes that as a nation we do need to do much better at protecting all our children from neglect and abuse. I think the recent reports of child neglect in Adelaide and Canberra have deeply disturbed the nation. To be confronted with the severe neglect of children, resulting in the horror of malnutrition or starvation, is pretty confronting. It seems incomprehensible that these things can happen in suburban cities in Australia. These cases of course are now the subject of police investigations, but I think we all support the view that children deserve a safe, healthy and happy childhood. We all share the community’s concern about child neglect cases. As a nation we obviously need to do better at protecting all our children, and this includes state and Commonwealth governments.

In 1999, there were 107,000 notifications of abuse or neglect of children. By 2006, notifications had increased to 309,000. Last year, there were around 60,000 occasions when authorities found that a child either was or was likely to be harmed, abused or neglected. Those rates have doubled in the last decade. The number of children in formal out-of-home care has doubled between 1996 and 2007, from almost 14,000 to over 28,000. So child abuse is very much an issue for national concern, and that is why the government is delivering on its election commitment to develop a national child protection framework. Progress on the framework has begun, as a result of recent budget commitments.

In January, the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Ms Macklin, met with the key community experts in child welfare who were calling for national leadership in protecting children. Workshops were also held with representatives from state and territory agencies responsible for child protection and family welfare to discuss a national approach. Minister Macklin released a discussion paper in May, after consulting with these groups. It is available on her department’s website, and the minister is distributing copies to all members of parliament. She welcomes feedback from members of parliament in developing this framework. Intensive consultations with key stakeholders are already underway. A joint meeting has been held with state and territory governments. A number of expert committees, drawn from the community sector, academics and child welfare practitioners, have been meeting over the last two weeks. In coming weeks, Minister Macklin’s department is hosting a meeting with the 51 representatives of the Coalition of Organisations Committed to the Safety and Wellbeing of Australia’s Children.

While statutory responsibility for child protection is with the states and territories, consultations are exploring practical ways the Commonwealth, the states and territories and non-government organisations can use their resources more effectively to improve the safety and wellbeing of children. Under the framework, the Australian government will give state and territory child welfare authorities the power to advise Centrelink to quarantine government payments to ensure children are provided for. The budget committed $36 million to our welfare reform agenda, and that will help protect children.

Parenting is a tough job, and we need to support parents in that role. We also need to support them if they seek help. I agree with Senator Joyce’s comments, which I saw reported, where he emphasised the role of the community. We are all responsible for the care and upbringing of our children and I think —(Time expired)