Child protection crisis deepens

Human Services Jacquie Petrusma must immediately explain how and why she was kept in the dark over a crisis in child protection.

Shadow Human Services Minister Rebecca White said the Minister’s answers during Question Time were alarming.

“How is it possible that the Minister was only informed of the situation in child protection yesterday?,” Ms White said.

“We know the Department has been aware of the situation for more than three weeks.

“The Minister conceded this morning that both the unions and her own office were briefed on the matter last week.

“It beggars belief that the Minister was kept in the dark until yesterday.

“Minister Petrusma must immediately explain why she was the last to know.

“The Minister has confirmed that 62 of the ignored notifications have been deemed serious enough to warrant a full investigation.

“It’s completely unacceptable that this many serious cases were allowed to go unchecked, some for more than 300 days.

“This is an unprecedented breakdown of Tasmania’s child protection system and it is unbelievable that it took three weeks for the Minister and the Premier to take action.”
Rebecca White MP Shadow Human Services Minister