Question Without Notice No. 338 asked in the Legislative Council on 10 May 2018 by Hon Nick Goiran
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
CHILD PROTECTION — CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE — ROEBOURNE
338. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to your incomplete answers to my questions about the 184 victims of child sex offences in Roebourne.
(1) Has the minister ever personally asked any officer of the department if any of the 184 victims are currently residing with a person either charged or convicted with one or more child sex offences?
(2) If yes to (1) —
(a) when did this occur;
(b) who did the minister ask; and
(c) who was present when the minister asked this question?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
The answer to the question is this.
(1)–(2) Please refer to Legislative Council questions without notice 271, 247 and 225. As stated in those answers, the minister continues to get regular updates from the Department of Communities to assure herself that adequate safeguards are in place for vulnerable children in Roebourne and surrounding areas. The minister is satisfied that the Department of Communities continues to undertake the necessary actions to appropriately protect and support children and families in Roebourne. The minister refers the member to previous responses provided to the Legislative Council regarding this matter. The minister has offered the honourable member a briefing regarding the West Pilbara Plan, which he is yet to accept.
Should the honourable member have any information about any child or children who may be at risk of harm, the minister would ask him to take appropriate action to report these concerns to the Department of Communities and/or the Western Australia Police Force.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT: Order! If you want question time to continue today, I suggest you let Hon Jacqui Boydell take the call and ask her question, and everyone else can listen in silence.