Wednesday, 29 October 2025

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:26): (1097) My question is for the Minister for Children. Minister, your ministerial diaries show you met with the acting Chief Commissioner of Police Rick Nugent and executive director Alison Crichton on 3 April this year. Minister, noting this meeting was three months before the first news stories broke about alleged childcare paedophile Joshua Brown, I ask: were you informed in this meeting about any potential future criminal charges against Joshua Brown or any other Victorian childcare worker?

 Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:27): I thank Mrs McArthur for her question, and categorically the answer to that question is no. I regularly talk with my department, including with officials that work with Victoria Police, and I am very privileged to have met with acting chief commissioners and chief commissioners since to talk about various issues but most importantly the safety of children in our child protection system and ways we can do better by those children that the child protection system exists to support. But no, in no way was that meeting a discussion of anything to do with the child safety related matters or to the accused that you refer to.

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:28): I thank you, Minister. Well, what was discussed at that meeting? You also met with the acting principal commissioner for children and young people on 23 April this year. We can only assume the meetings were about children and the welfare of children. So what were you meeting about, if not the welfare of children?

The PRESIDENT: There are two questions there around two different meetings. I think the minister should answer in terms of the supplementary to the substantive.

 Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:28): I thank Mrs McArthur for her supplementary question. Indeed one of the items that I was discussing at the time with the acting chief commissioner was the very proposal I just provided an update to in my ministers statement. I am always looking for ways in which we can improve the child protection system; fulfil the commitments we have made, such as that which I made to the Yoorrook Justice Commission; and ensure that we have a system of supports that support stable families. That was what I was talking about with acting chief commissioner Nugent at the time, an intention to reflect the commitment that I made at the Yoorrook Justice Commission in removing and modernising the provisions around child protection orders of hierarchy but also, in doing so, how we can make sure that families are supported in their reunification journey – and indeed vulnerable families more broadly – so that we can help children as a whole receive the services and the supports that they need that ensure that they get those early interventions that allow them to live safe, happy, fulfilling lives and hopefully never end up coming to the attention of the – (Time expired)