Thursday, 24 September 2026

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (17:44): (2841) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Children, and the action I seek is for the minister to review a particular case where children in a foster care scenario have been denied access to essential medical testing and treatment and, for the next few days while she is in charge, direct the department to ensure that when a child’s health is at stake, their best interests come before parental objections and/or the state having a power to act. The case I relate involves siblings in out-of-home care who have been diagnosed with a rare and chronic medical condition. Specialists recommended genetic testing to identify the exact strain of the condition and help tailor treatment and support for these vulnerable children. After waiting 18 months for an appointment, consent was then refused by the biological parent and the testing did not proceed. The children deserve the best treatment possible. They need answers about their condition and their future. They have been denied this opportunity. I am advised the department has the capacity to override such a decision, yet the department chose not to.

The same issue has reportedly arisen with prescribed medication recommended by medical professionals. This is a failure of the system that is supposed to protect Victoria’s most vulnerable children. If the government is willing to take responsibility for a child’s care, it cannot then wash its hands of responsibility when that child needs medical treatment. What is the point of state care if the state stands by while children are denied access to treatment and denied information about their own health? The principle should be very simple: the welfare of the child comes first. In this case, the wishes of an adult appear to have been given greater weight than medical advice and the needs of the child. A child-centred system would not allow an 18-month wait for specialist care to end in a preventable refusal. Carers want to know why this government has not put children’s interests first, and they want the minister to take action while she is still in charge. Vulnerable children deserve the most support from this government, and until the minister is divested of her position in November 2026, she must do the right thing by these children.