Government delays child protection legislation change over wording specifics

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Key legislation to overhaul South Australia's child protection laws is stalled in parliament and there's no sign that the lengthy stalemate is about to break. While all parties agree the legislation needs to change, a feud over one phrase means that might not happen.

Transcript

00:00An unusual union of usual political opponents urging the government to act.

00:07Well I feel like the government listens to political strength and this here today is political strength.

00:12We will use this strength for the children of this state.

00:15From the Greens to the crossbench and the Liberals there's widespread agreement

00:19South Australia's child protection laws need reform.

00:22But Labor can't secure the support to get its proposed changes through.

00:26Well we've provided pieces of paper with words on them in the form of over 100 amendments to this bill.

00:31That is what will form the basis of our conversation with the Minister.

00:35At the heart of the standoff is a disagreement over words.

00:39The government wants the laws to focus on safety,

00:42where carers and child protection workers have to consider above all else safety of the child.

00:47Critics think it should be the child's best interests,

00:51arguing it more broadly considers the personal needs of children.

00:54All those children died under the safety principle.

00:59If that in and of itself is not enough to show us that this is not working,

01:05then there is something seriously wrong.

01:08But the child's best interests as the paramount principle always includes safety.

01:12But while the government is open to negotiations, it's holding firm on its view.

01:17Our position has been to retain safety of children as the paramount principle.

01:24We have also inserted best interests as a guiding principle.

01:30If Parliament won't agree, the 2017 laws will remain in place, which has advocates concerned.

01:36The current act has actually driven more children into our care system and has done more harm than good.

01:43However, the current bill isn't where it needs to be if we're going to make that transformational change.

01:47With the bill effectively stalled in Parliament, the government is making changes without it.

01:52It's issued directions to the Child Protection Department to change its policies,

01:56keeping safety as its primary principle and adopting a number of other elements in the proposed legislation.

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