Child Protection positions remain vacant despite Minister’s assurance

Right To Information shows child protection and support worker positions remain vacant
Multiple job vacancies stretch back two years
Minister is failing to steer critical frontline service

Child Protection Minister Jacquie Petrusma’s empty promises to build Tasmania’s child protection frontline have been exposed with the release of documents showing multiple positions remain vacant.

Shadow Child Safety Minister Josh Willie said multiple positions had not been staffed for periods of longer than two years according to Right To Information documents released by Mrs Petrusma’s department late on Friday.

Mr Willie said Tasmanians could have no faith in Mrs Petrusma’s ability to steer the child protection system and were right to doubt her continued claims that the Hodgman Government would support vulnerable Tasmanian children “now and into the future, through improved structures and investment”.

“We continually hear empty, generic statements like that from the Minister yet she remains in charge of an extremely important department which remains under-resourced,” Mr Willie said.

“The fact of the matter is it’s now been revealed 10 child protection positions and five support workers positions remain vacant and many of them have been vacant for periods of one and two years, including an important Clinical Nurse Specialist position which has been vacant for the past nine months.

“Mrs Petrusma’s department which is charged with one of the most important tasks in the state – protecting our most vulnerable Tasmanians – is littered with empty desks.

“That includes the Children and Youth Services Deputy Secretary – the position the Minister said would drive her so-called reform of the department – which has been empty for the past six months.

“This leadership position is most important at a time of reform and it remains vacant. The Minister has to take responsibility for that.

“This Minister and this government ripped funding away from critical areas like this and they have done nothing to rebuild.

“Everyone understands this is one of the most difficult areas of the frontline in which to work but there is no excuse for Mrs Petrusma to have allowed so many positions to remain under resourced.”
Josh Willie MP Shadow Minister for Housing, Disability and Child Safety