This is what happened in the 13th sitting week of 2024, which was held over Tuesday 15 to Thursday 17 October.
Our parliament wrap-ups focus on discussion of young people, and issues that impact young people. We focus on what was said, and by who here, rather than unpacking or giving a position on the issues themselves.
During the 13th week in State Parliament for 2024 the Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People for 2023/24 was tabled and accepted in Parliament. The Tobacco & E-Cigarettes (E-Cigarettes & Other Reforms) Amendment Bill passed after the House of Assembly accepted the amendments made by the Legislative Council. Debate on the Children & Young People (Safety & Support) Bill to repeal and replace the current Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 continued in the House.
House of Assembly (Lower House)
Mentions of ‘young people’: 20
Children & Young People (Safety & Support) Bill - 9
Auditor-General’s annual report - 3
Youth crime - 2
Kanyini Mission - 1
National Housing Accord - 1
Appropriation Bill - 1
Worldskill Australia - 1
Apprenticeships & traineeships - 1
Tobacco & E-Cigarette (E-cigarette & other reform) Bill - 1
mentions of ‘youth’: 6
Youth crime - 3
Summary Offences (Unlawful Selling of Knives) Amendment Bill - 1
Malinauskas Labor Government - 1
Children & Young People (Safety & Support) Bill - 1
Comments on young people, youth services and policy specifically about young people:
The Minister for Health, Hon Chris Picton MP (Member for Kaurna, Labor), moved that the amendments in the Tobacco & E-Cigarette Products (E-Cigarette & Other Reforms) Amendment Bill agreed to within the Legislative Council be accepted by the House.
These amendments to the Bill:identified a ‘designated person’ means a child who is of or above the age of 16 years
established that the Minister must not authorise a designated person (16 years or older) to act as a controlled purchase officer unless a parent/guardian has consented in writing
outline an authorised officer supervising a purchase operation must make an assessment to ensure appropriate measure are in place to ensure the safety of a designated person.
While discussing the 2023/24 Auditor-General’s report Mr Josh Teague MP (Member for Heyson, Liberal) highlighted ‘the number of children and young people in residential non-family-based care continues to grow proportionality faster than those in family-based care’.
Teague asked the Minister for Child Protection, Hon Katrine Hildyard MP (Member for Reynell, Labor), what the Department was actioning to address this matter. Minister Hildyard outlined that family-based care is beginning to grow stating that a ‘number of strategies are beginning to work’. The Minister also said:
’One of those strategies is our $13.4 million additional investment into family group conferencing. Family group conferencing is recognised around the world as an incredibly important and successful tool to give children and young people the best chance possible to grow up safe in extended family and with extended family wrapped around a particular child or young person, making decisions that assist them to stay safely in that family environment.In terms of that question about family-based care, that is a really key strategy that we are employing. I know I mentioned it in the house earlier today, and I gave you the figure that generally it sits between a 90 and 92 per cent success rate. I am very proud that that investment is enabling us to grow family-based care and particularly kinship care. As I spoke about before, kinship care is certainly growing.’
Legislative Council (Upper House)
Mentions of ‘young people’: 15
Tobacco & E-Cigarette (E-cigarette & other reform) Bill - 5
Youth offending - 4
Children in detention - 2
Operation Flinders - 1
Public school funding - 1
National Family Business Day - 1
Office of the Guardian & Training Centre Visitor annual report - 1
mentions of ‘youth’: 8
Youth offending - 5
Children in detention - 1
Youth crime - 1
Public school funding - 1
Comments on young people, youth services and policy specifically about young people:
Member of the crossbench, Hon Mr Robert Simms MLC (Greens), asked a question to the Attorney-General, Hon Mr Kyam Maher MLC (Labor), about Article 37 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child that outlines that no child shall be deprived of their liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily.
Simms asked how many children would likely be spending Christmas in detention. The AG answered:
’As of earlier this week, I think it was 45 or 46 children detained. I will double-check that, and if it's wildly incorrect by more than a few I am happy to bring back a response, but I think it is 45 or 46 at the present time. How many there will be in just under two months I can't predict, but, as I have said, it's been in the order of dozens over the last few years, I think.’Debate continued on Simms’ motion on public school funding. The motion calls of the Legislative Council to acknowledge the A Decade of Inequality report from the Australian Education Union. The report found that:
public schools in SA education have about twice the number of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds compared to private schools
public schools will be underfunded by $1.8 billion over the next 5 years
in 2024 every public school in SA was underfunded by $2,004.
The motion was amended and carried as amended.
