Questions without notice and ministers statements
Early childhood education and care
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:05): My question is to the Minister for Children, and it concerns the Ombudsman’s recommendations from three years ago to protect our children and strengthen the working with children check in Victoria. I ask the minister: will you confirm to the house that the bill due to come to this house potentially later this day does not address all of the Ombudsman’s recommendations? And if that is so, why not?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:05): I would remind those opposite that the working with children check is the responsibility of the Attorney-General. The bill that the question relates to is the Attorney-General’s. The question therefore is not one I can answer.
The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis, I am not too sure what supplementary you could ask, but I will call you.
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:06): Minister, the Premier today claimed that the government is putting children at the front and centre of safety and also stated today the government is acting with urgency to overhaul the system. Minister, you have been in your position for almost two years. Will you explain why you did not act with urgency on the Ombudsman’s recommendations from September 2022 and put children at the front and centre of your government’s activity?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:06): As the minister with responsibility for –
Members interjecting.
The PRESIDENT: Order! Please, everyone across the chamber.
Lizzie BLANDTHORN: As the minister responsible for child protection, I have informed a number of forums in the past few weeks that the two recommendations that were part of that Ombudsman’s report that were directed to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing were indeed responded to. In relation to the substantive question and the rest of Mr Davis’s question, which indeed related to matters for the Attorney-General, I would suggest that he ask those questions of the minister representing the Attorney-General.