The Cook Labor Government’s latest child protection announcement in South Hedland is grossly inadequate, with Nationals MLC Julie Freeman warning that temporary measures fail to address the systemic problems leaving vulnerable children at risk across Western Australia.
The Government today announced additional specialist child protection staff, increased oversight of complex and outstanding cases, and further measures to support vulnerable children in South Hedland.
Ms Freeman said the announcement failed to explain how the Government intended to address the underlying circumstances that had left children living in appalling conditions.
“This is a band aid solution to a much bigger problem,” she said.
“We cannot pretend that giving a child somewhere safe to go for a few hours at night makes up for the neglect they may face for the other 20 hours of the day.
“What happens when that safe space closes? Where do these children go? Who is making sure they have a safe home to return to?
“These children deserve more than a few hours of safety. They deserve a childhood free from neglect, with the care, protection and stability that every child should be able to take for granted.
“The Minister herself has acknowledged there are streets like Frisby Court in towns across regional Western Australia, so what is she actually doing to identify and protect the children living in those conditions?
“We could be talking about hundreds, potentially thousands, of vulnerable children across Western Australia who are not receiving the protection they need.
“This is a child safety crisis, and the Government must be held accountable for what it knew, when it knew it and what action it took to protect these children.
“The Government must demonstrate that it has a coordinated, statewide response to child neglect, with clear accountability and meaningful intervention that addresses the circumstances putting these children at risk.
“No child should have to endure a life of neglect while the Government looks the other way. These children need protection around the clock, not just somewhere to go when the sun goes down.
“WA Labor has been in government for almost a decade. This is their legacy.”