Question Without Notice No. 128 asked in the Legislative Council on 25 May 2017 by Hon Alison Xamon
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
YOUTH PREVENTION AND DIVERSIONARY PROGRAMS — TRANSFER
128. Hon ALISON XAMON to the minister representing the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the machinery of government changes announced on 28 April 2017, and specifically to the announcement that youth prevention and diversionary programs will be transferred from the current Department of Corrective Services to the new Department of Community Services.
(1) Which programs will be transferred to the Department of Community Services?
(2) Will any staff be transferred from the Department of Corrective Services to the Department of Community Services?
(3) If yes to (2), how many?
(4) Why are these programs being transferred?
(5) Which stakeholders were consulted about the decision to transfer these programs?
(6) If a decision has not been made, when will this be decided?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following information has been provided to me by the Minister for Corrective Services —
(1) The machinery of government steering committees for both the proposed Department of Justice and the proposed Department of Community Services have commenced meeting. The programs to be transferred are currently being deliberated by these steering committees, with associated specialist advice being sought as required from other entities such as the State Solicitor's Office. At this stage, a final determination has not been made at the program level.
(2) In accordance with the information provided in part (1), these matters are also being deliberated by both steering committees. No decision has been made on the transfer of staff.
(3) Not applicable. Please see response to part (2).
(4) Not applicable. Please see response to part (1).
(5) As part of the machinery of government change process, there has been broad consultation across a number of stakeholders within the Department of Corrective Services, as well as across external agencies such as the other constituent agencies of the two aforementioned steering committees, as well as subject matter experts such as the State Solicitor's Office and unions representing staff members impacted by the machinery of government changes.
(6) Stage 1 of machinery of government changes needs to be completed by 30 June 2016.