Indigenous Children Sexual Assaults

Mr ANDREW STONER: My question is directed to the Premier. How can the public take seriously his Government's rhetoric about protecting children from sex offenders when documents obtained under freedom of information show there is only one part-time Aboriginal child sexual assault counsellor in New South Wales and that most government agencies have not even responded to performance measures set out in the Breaking the Silence report, which is now 18 months old?

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: It is gratifying that the Leader of The Nationals has relied on that report. I will now update the House on the facts and the progress of the implementation of the report's 88 recommendations. I take this opportunity also to update the House on budget allocations that were made a fortnight ago to child protection. First, $22.9 million was allocated for additional resources to expand services and to recruit additional staff. Child protection and child sexual assault workers and child protection and domestic violence support workers in Aboriginal communities were provided for in the budget—while the Leader of The Nationals was asleep.

The Government provided additional resources for child protection because child protection is a top priority for this Government. The Leader of The Nationals should not come into the House and refer to documentation that is out of date or documentation that is many months old. There is no substitute for good research. His freedom of information documentation was provided many months ago. Meanwhile the Government has been getting on with the job of implementing the report's recommendations and providing additional resources.

Mr Andrew Stoner: How many counsellors do you have?

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: I will come to specific figures shortly. In May an infrastructure partnership with Aboriginal communities was allocated $6.3 million for the first three years. That funding will extend over a period of two decades for the repair of water and sewerage infrastructure in Aboriginal communities. If the Leader of The Nationals is interested in actions that have already been implemented since the report was produced and in our implementation of its 88 recommendations, I will list them for him. The actions include employment of an Aboriginal family violence officer with the New South Wales Police Force. The officer is responsible for the development of Aboriginal sexual assault standard operating procedures as part of the strategic directions of the Police Force, which is at work in Aboriginal communities on this issue.

The actions also include development of a rural community-based early intervention treatment service for families in Armidale that addresses sexually offending behaviours of children and young people aged between 10 and 17 years, technology support for child sexual assault cases that is now in 30 of the 31 District Court criminal sitting locations, implementation of reforms relating to apprehended violence orders, introduction of anti-grooming legislation relating to children, and the identification of schools with attendance rates that are of concern. Implementation is under way to lift school attendance.

Mr Andrew Stoner: What is happening at Boggabilla?

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: The Leader of The Nationals should confine his concern to the representations he has been making recently.

The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Clarence to order. I call the member for Barwon to order.

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: The Leader of The Nationals should just concern himself with those representations he has been making. The JIRT—

Mr Barry O'Farrell: Do you think he knows what JIRT stands for?

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: Joint Investigation Response Team, which has recently been boosted. You will find this interesting because this is evidence that they are succeeding: we had a report, recommendations and implementation. I can give the House an update on what actually happened. The JIRT has made several arrests in recent times relating to the sexual abuse of Aboriginal children. In April a 70-year-old male was arrested and charged with 11 offences relating to the abuse of three Aboriginal girls aged between 12 and 14 in Taree. I am further advised that last week two males were arrested in relation to the sexual abuse of two Aboriginal boys aged 11 and 15 in Coffs Harbour. I am further advised that there are 49 sexual assault counselling services across New South Wales and that two Aboriginal specialist child sexual assault counsellor positions were filled last week in the Hunter New England Area Health Service.

[Interruption]

These are additional ones. The Opposition is easily entertained. Recruitment is underway for two more counsellors based in Nowra. I am further advised that NSW Health funds 21 women's health centres across New South Wales providing counselling services to all. That is a rundown on the implementation of those 88 recommendations—88 recommendations that were funded to the tune of $30 million, and in addition to that, an extra $22.9 million in the budget on top of the package announced in May. I have just provided to the House updated information on the success the JIRTs are having in working with police and getting charges brought against people who abuse Aboriginal children.