Why is Jacquie Petrusma still in charge of Tasmania’s most vulnerable children?

 Minister’s position untenable after Safe Pathways debacle
 Petrusma’s response result of media pressure not genuine concern
 Hodgman must act on Minister who has lost control of responsibilities
 Vulnerable children badly let down by incompetent Minister
Premier Will Hodgman has no option but to demand the resignation of his Child Protection Minister Jacquie Petrusma over her incompetent and unacceptable handling of the Safe Pathways debacle.
Labor Leader Bryan Green said Mrs Petrusma could not be permitted to remain in charge of Tasmania’s most vulnerable children after she had provided a lucrative contract to a for-profit care provider which had then been the subject of serious allegations of neglect stretching back almost a year.
Mr Green said yesterday the Premier had tried to reassure Tasmanians that 11 children in the care of Safe Pathways were safe but overnight they had been removed.
“Typically Mr Hodgman was completely hands-off throughout this debacle but he cannot continue to let down vulnerable children by allowing Mrs Petrusma to remain in the portfolio,” Mr Green said.
“After weeks assuring Tasmanians that children in the care of Safe Pathways were safe, they have now been removed as a result of media and political pressure.
“As the guardian of Tasmania’s most vulnerable and at-risk children, the Minister has one of the most important roles in government and she has very badly let these children – and others – down.
“Mrs Petrusma is responsible for paying Safe Pathways $9,000 a week to care for each of these children, even after a Four Corners report last month exposed serious and very distressing allegations of serious neglect.
“Serious questions remain unanswered and the Minister’s story has kept changing.
“At first she claimed to have only learned about these claims in October but then changed her mind on the floor of the Parliament and admitted she had been informed in August.
“Now there are fresh claims dating back as far as February.
“Serious questions need to be asked of the Premier also – why did he not act immediately and take control when clearly Mrs Petrusma had lost control?
“He must act today to remove this Minister to ensure Tasmanians that everything possible is being done in the best interests of protecting these very vulnerable children who were entrusted to the government only to be horrifically failed.”
Bryan Green MP Labor Leader