Thursday, 31 July 2025

Reportable conduct scheme

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:03): (982) My question is again to the Minister for Children. Minister, in 2022 the former commissioner for children and young people Liana Buchanan warned the government that underfunding of the reportable conduct scheme would put children at risk of abuse. There has been no increase to funding of the scheme since it began in 2017. Why did the government fail to fund the scheme properly?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:03): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. In the case of the Commission for Children and Young People, it has a budget of $14.2 million for 2025–26 to undertake its statutory responsibilities. How the commission chooses to use that funding is indeed a matter for the commission, but I would say this is an increase from its budget of $6.4 million in 2015–16 and it represents an increase of more than 120 per cent to its budget since 2015–16.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:04): The commissioner absolutely warned you and told you that it was being underfunded. Minister, the CCYP 2023–24 annual report highlighted that since the reportable conduct scheme started in 2017 the number of reports to the scheme has increased by 81 per cent. Last year 35 per cent of reports related to physical violence, and a staggering 70 per cent of all sexual misconduct was in the education sector. Minister, you were warned about the increased number of reports and were aware of the requests for more funding to investigate allegations. Why did you ignore the advice and fail to act?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:05): Again I thank Ms Crozier for her question. For the benefit of the house, the reportable conduct scheme, which is administered by the CCYP and is the responsibility of the CCYP, has a very important function. This scheme applies to more than 12,000 organisations that work with children. Ms Crozier was asking before what we are doing to improve operations and safety for children; the reportable conduct scheme, as implemented and administered across this period of time, goes a long way to that very question. But, as I have said, without making comment on recent matters, in any case the Commission for Children and Young People has a budget of $14.2 million to undertake its statutory functions. It is an independent statutory authority, and how it implements those functions is a matter for the commission. But this is indeed an increase in its budget of $6.4 million. Taking the figures you have read out, Ms Crozier, I would remind you it is an increase in funding of 120 per cent.