Parentline
Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:28): (1076) My question is to the Minister for Children. Minister, Parentline has spent 25 proud years serving our community. It is a crucial statewide lifeline for all parents and carers. It is the only counselling and support service of its type, operating from 8 am to midnight, seven days a week. No other helpline does this. Every hour it answers two calls from parents who need expert advice from a qualified person, be it a social worker or a psychologist. Parentline is our state’s first and in some instances our last line of defence. It provides parents with the skills and help to de-escalate their children and has saved lives. Critically, it has helped prevent thousands of children becoming clients of our child protection and juvenile justice systems. Minister, why is Parentline to be cut, with the service ending tomorrow?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:29): I thank Mr McGowan for his question. I look forward to engaging with him in this place and beyond as we do our best to improve social services, which I know this whole chamber is committed to. When it comes to improving child and family services – and I just gave an example in my ministers statement of a service that the Allan Labor government is investing more in than has ever been invested before, in relation to story time – in the 25 years since Parentline was established, and I know it is a long time back for those who have sat on the opposite benches for a very long time bar a short intermission, we have more than tripled the investment in family services in this state. And instead of just having a phone line, we have developed a complex system – an ecosystem, indeed – of child and family services that work together in a way that 25 years ago was unimaginable. But today, at every level across our community, families have available to them the different types of services, rather than just a phone line, that can provide them with the critical assistance that they need at those critical junctures in time – be it the de-escalation of their children and young people, as Mr McGowan has spoken to, or whether it be the early intervention and support, such as for emotional wellbeing and development, that occurs through things like the multicultural story time program that I spoke to in my ministers statement earlier.
As I said, our government has invested threefold in child and family services. If we take just family services, those opposite in 2012–13 invested $120 million in family services, and since then we have not just doubled that funding but increased that funding to over $446 million.
David Davis: On a point of order, President, the minister well knows that this is not a time to attack the opposition. I can see that she is winding up to this, and she should just answer the question.
The PRESIDENT: I do not know if I heard an attack on the opposition, but I think the minister was being relevant to the question.
Lizzie BLANDTHORN: I was not seeking to attack the opposition at all. I was just simply making the point that when those opposite were in power there was $120 million in family services and today there is more than $446 million, which speaks to that complex system of family services that supports families not just through a phone line but in a variety of ways. It includes phone lines. It continues to include phone lines, like the maternal and child health phone line, which is an amazing service which people can access 24/7, but it also includes those supports like the Orange Door and like multicultural story time. There are a range of services available to families to support them on their parenting journeys, and that is absolutely what the Allan Labor government is committed to doing.
Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:31): I thank the minister for her answer. 1800 RESPECT deal with family violence and abuse. Lifeline do not employ social workers. Orange Door operates Monday to Friday. Kids Helpline does not help parents. Safe Steps is for family violence. The maternal and child health line is only for zero- to five-year-olds. Headspace is for mental health only for 12- to 25-year-olds. The family relationship advice line focuses on parents’ legal rights after separation. The Raising Children Network is an online resource only, with no human connection. CLAN advocate for those who grew up in care, like in orphanages and foster care. Minister, Parentline is the only anonymous professional counselling from 8 am to midnight, 365 days a year, serving 17,800 worried and concerned parents. Will you commit to reversing the closure of Parentline and extending the funding for Parentline for a further 12 months until election day 2026?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:32): Again I thank Mr McGowan for his question and indeed for what I know is his genuine and heartfelt interest. But what I would say to this chamber is that in 25 years the landscape of services available has changed dramatically. I have given a few examples. Mr McGowan has just given a few examples, but I can continue to provide examples because across our family services we have tripled that investment. And through services like our universal services of maternal and child health, our schools and our health system more broadly, we are continuing to provide supports for families in their parenting journey and indeed for those children and young people. Another one is our mental health supports that are available to young people within schools. That is not something that, 25 years ago when Parentline was established, was available. But in 25 years, and I know it is a long time in opposition for those on the other side, we have developed an entire ecosystem of supports for families and for children and young people that speaks to those needs and their family’s needs right across our state, available in different ways, shapes and forms 24/7.