CHILD PROTECTION —
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE — ROEBOURNE
1242. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the minister's
incomplete answers to my question without notice 1196 asked on 22 November 2018
about the six known perpetrators identified in Operation Fledermaus, some of
who are attending the same school as their victims.
(1) Does the minister know whether
the six known perpetrators are being monitored by the department?
(2) If yes to (1), are they?
(3) Does the
minister know how many of the six known perpetrators are attending the same
school as their victim?
(4) If yes to (3), how many?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) The
Department of Communities is aware of those children who have been charged as
part of Operation Fledermaus. The number of those children with charges who
attend school is very small and providing further comment could lead to them
being identified. In instances in which a young person with charges attends a public
school, every case is monitored, assessed and managed between the Department of
Education, the WA Police Force and the Department of Communities. These
assessments are based on what is best for the school community and the
individual children. This is not a responsibility taken lightly.
I note that a response
to this question has been provided on multiple occasions.
Hon Nick Goiran interjected.
The PRESIDENT: Member, order!
Hon SUE ELLERY: I note that a
response to this question has been provided on multiple occasions.
Hon Nick Goiran: More lies!
The PRESIDENT: Order! Member,
the minister is trying to provide a response to your question, you might want
to listen to it.
Hon SUE ELLERY: Madam President, the interjection, as
I heard it, used the words, ''More lies.'' I take objection to
that language. I think it is unparliamentary.
I note that a response to this
question has been provided on multiple occasions. The minister has been
regularly briefed on Operation Fledermaus and more recently on the Pilbara
joint response. In any community, it is difficult to ensure that offenders and
victims never come into contact with each other. The primary response is to
create safety by maintaining engagement and developing trust, increasing the
networks around the child and through the provision of protective behaviours
education.