This is what happened in the eighth sitting week of the year, which was held over Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19 and Thursday 27 June.
House of Assembly (Lower House)
Mentions of ‘young people’: 15
number of times ‘youth’ was said: 6
Question time: Child protection and youth justice
Shadow Minister for Child Protection, Josh Teague MP (Member for Heysen, Liberal) asked the Minister for Child Protection, Hon Katrine Hildyard MP (Member for Reynell, Labor) a series of questions on whether children under the Department for Child Protection care were involved in a recent incident at Arndale Shopping Centre, whether the Minister had received a brief in relation to the incident, and how many children under the Department’s care were currently subject to criminal charges. The Minister explained they would not jeopordise any investigation or court matter by commenting on any particular incident.
The Minister discussed funding of $450 million ‘invest[ing] in the child protection and family support system’, she said: “I think I have made myself very clear about police investigations, and I will just say again and again, please engage in the complexity of these issues with me because, as the sector says, we need a whole-of-government, a whole-of-parliament, a whole-of-sector and a whole-of-community response if we are to positively challenge the many, many difficult issues that families traverse. So, I please invite you again to be involved.”
Motion: Gender equality
Sarah Andrews MP (Member for Gibson, Labor) moved a motion on gender equality that the House: notes the continuing existence of gender inequality in Australia and the State’s gender pay gap of 6.7%, consider the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women’s employment, commit to addressing the prevalence of women engaged in insecure work, ensure legislation is inclusive and ensure equal representation across government boards.
The motion also sought the House to congratulate the Malinauskas Government on establishing a ‘gender pay gap taskforce’. In speaking to the motion, Andrews said: “One in four women have experienced physical or sexual violence since the age of 15. One in four women has experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner. Nationally, an estimated 44 per cent of Australian young people have been exposed to domestic violence with serious consequences for their health and wellbeing across their lifetimes.”
An amendment was suggested by Penny Pratt MP (Member for Frome, Liberal) to amend ‘congratulations’ to the Malinauskas Government to instead commend the Marshall Government on its actions to address the gender pay gap. The amendment was not supported and the motion was passed in its original form.
Legislative Council (Upper House)
Mentions of ‘young people’: 10
number of times ‘youth’ was said: 4
Question time: Age of criminal responsibility
Hon Robert Simms MLC (Greens) asked the Attorney-General, Hon Kyam Maher MLC (Labor) a series of questions concerning the minimum age of criminal responsibility, the status of the discussion paper from the Government and about a timeframe for the Government to determine whether submissions to the discussion paper will be made public.
The Attorney-General stated that there were dozens of responses to the discussion paper and the Government is ‘assessing those responses and what the policy options could be’.
The Attorney-General also reiterated that the Government has not made a commitment to reform legislation on the minimum age but have committed to considering the area. When asked specifically on a timeframe, the Attorney-General responded: “I thank the Honourable Member for his question. We don't have a time frame. I guess the simple answer is: as long as it takes to thoroughly look at them.”
Motion: Child protection
Hon Tammy Franks MLC (Greens) moved a motion for the Council to: recognise that the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 is still a framework mostly for the removal of children and does not promote the best interests of children and young people, express concern about a lack of adequate and consistent funding for foster and kinship carers, note the Malinauskas Government’s election promise to prioritise child safety and welfare via reform and call on the Malinauskas Government to introduce legislation to amend the Act and prioritise the best interests of children and young people.
The motion was spoken to by Opposition members Hon Laura Henderson MLC (Liberal) and Hon Ben Hood MLC (Liberal) as well as crossbench Member Hon Connie Bonaros (SA Best). The motion was carried.
