Early childhood education and care
Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:12): (975) My question is for the minister representing the Minister for Government Services. Last year the Australian Childhood Foundation released their Our Collective Experience Project report, and I spoke in this place about the need to include mandatory education and training in the working with children check system. At present, Victorians who serve cocktails and pour beers at the pub receive more safety training and testing through the RSA than people who work with children every day. In recent weeks, Victorians have been horrified to learn that an individual with a valid working with children check allegedly sexually abused multiple children in his care. The reality is that a simple police check will not keep children safe from predators, as many do not have a prior record. Rather than waiting for the federal government to act, will the minister act with urgency to include mandatory education and training in the working with children check?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:13): I thank Ms Purcell for her question. Ms Purcell, you have directed your question to the Minister for Government Services. I am very confident that your question should be directed to the Attorney-General. When it comes to working with children checks, the Attorney-General and the department of justice are responsible for policy, and the Department of Government Services are responsible for the administration, not the policy decisions. I am very happy to take your question via DGS. I can shepherd it through, or we can go straight through Minister Erdogan.
The PRESIDENT: Are you happy for it to go to the AG?
Georgie PURCELL: I am more than happy for it to go to the AG, but the AG’s office has told us it is the responsibility of the Minister for Government Services in prior meetings.
Jaclyn SYMES: I think that goes to the invitation that I extended to the member, which would be: how about I have both ministerial offices collaborate in a response to Ms Purcell?
Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:14): Thank you, genuinely, for referring that on. Emma Hakansson, who is a victim-survivor of child sexual abuse and an advocate at the Australian Childhood Foundation, has been leading the push to introduce this change. Despite her advocacy, little action has been taken in this space, and she has received more engagement, unfortunately, from the federal government than from the state government on this issue. Will the minister agree to meet with Emma – whichever minister that is – and the Australian Childhood Foundation to discuss this reform in the wake of the recent child abuse case and hear the asks of those with lived experience about how important this change is to them?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:15): I will pass that on.