Page 190 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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I think the obligation is on all of us to reaffirm our support for an independent statutory office holder who is performing his functions in accordance with the statute that establishes his office, who is doing it independent of the government and who is a person of considerable reputation. He is a respected and capable independent office holder who understands the issues and the concerns of children and young people in this city.
I want to reject also the assertion made by Mrs Dunne that in some way the inquiry is not looking at the concerns of staff. I draw Mrs Dunne’s attention simply to the terms of reference that this Assembly agreed to last year. I draw her attention to clause (3)(a) of the terms of reference, which makes it clear that the inquiry is to report on staff levels, training and retention. Indeed, it is the first thing that is mentioned in terms of the detail of the terms of reference, and it is about the staff. To suggest otherwise is simply false. Mrs Dunne is now making judgements about what the commissioner is going to report on before he has even made his report. Before he has even made his report, Mrs Dunne has decided that he is not going to report on that. Well, let us see what his report says. Let us see what he concludes at the end of this process.
I also draw to the attention of members the fact that the terms of reference are extremely broad. They look at issues as wide as security, the use of segregation and restraints, programs for education and training, early intervention, the effectiveness of diversionary strategies, the provision of through-care and, for completeness, any other matter. The commissioner has broad and sweeping terms of reference, and they have been endorsed by this place. The only people who are unwilling to accept the verdict of this Assembly are those opposite. They now seek to undermine, denigrate, defame and maliciously attack under the cover of parliamentary privilege the reputation, the credibility and the standing of the Children and Young People Commissioner.
This government will stand by its statutory public office holders. The commissioner has done nothing wrong. The commissioner is acting in accordance with the resolution of this Assembly and the reference I have given him following that resolution, and we should allow this inquiry to take its course. We should allow this inquiry to look at all the issues that the Assembly has asked of it, and we should consider the results of that inquiry in a considered and mature manner rather than seek to undermine and denigrate it for base political purposes.
I commend my amendment to the Assembly.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Le Couteur): Before I call the next speaker, I remind members, particularly the opposition, that the speaker needs to be heard in silence.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (3.25): I would like to foreshadow that I may seek leave to speak again because normally, if one is being censured, one would have at least 15 minutes to speak. But the cowardly way with which the minister has done this has limited my time.
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