Wednesday, 27 August 2025

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Early childhood education and care

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:02): My question is to the Minister for Government Services. Two weeks ago the Premier said of a man who was sacked in 2020 after an investigation found he was grooming and kissing toddlers that ‘immediate steps have been taken to cancel his working with children check’. Despite this, yesterday the minister said that ‘the legislation requires change for that to happen’. This legislation has now passed the Parliament. Will the minister guarantee that this man’s working with children check will be cancelled by the end of the day?

Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Government Services, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Women) (14:03): To cut to the chase of the answer, the bill is expected to get royal assent today and will become effective as of tomorrow.

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): Given the delays again by this government, is the government monitoring this known threat to ensure he is not working with children?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I will repeat what I said yesterday. The chamber is a chamber of debate; it is not a chamber of conversation.

Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Government Services, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Women) (14:04): Families must be able to trust that their children are in a safe environment. We understand that. That is why the Premier and the ministers involved have acted quickly to have a rapid review of this sector and to put a range of changes in place.

Brad Battin: Speaker, my point of order is relevance. The question is very clear: is this person being monitored or not?

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, on the point of order, there is no point of order. The minister has been on her feet for less than 20 seconds. She was directly addressing the question, so I ask that you rule the point of order out of order and let the minister get on with answering the question.

The SPEAKER: I ask the minister to come back to the question.

Natalie HUTCHINS: As I said in my original answer, the legislation will come into effect as of tomorrow. I have every confidence that the Department of Government Services –

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, in relation to relevance yet again, the minister is not going in the direction of ‘Is this person being monitored?’ and trying to answer the first question. It has nothing to do with the legislation; it is to do with ‘Are they being monitored to protect children?’

The SPEAKER: I remind members of the appropriate way to raise a point of order. I cannot direct the minister how to answer the question, but I do remind the minister that the question was quite direct.

Natalie HUTCHINS: As of tomorrow, when the legislation comes into effect, this government will be taking action. My department will be taking action to suspend those we have been alerted to that need to have their working with children check revoked. We have also committed to ensuring that, if anyone is banned from having a working with children check in any other state, that is relevant to our state too.

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, again on relevance, the question is: was this person and is this person being monitored? It is not about tomorrow. Is the person currently being monitored working with children?

The SPEAKER: A point of order is not an opportunity to repeat the question. The minister has concluded her answer.