ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
Ms GARDINER-BARNES: I have a figure in front of me which is the July 2009 to 30 April 2010 cost
of children in care where the department is purchasing childcare or after school services of $863 000.
Ms ANDERSON: Can we have that tabled? Does that incorporate the total cost to government for
additional payments we pay to foster carers?
Ms GARDINER-BARNES: It is included in the Out of Home Care budget allocation.
Ms ANDERSON: Specifically identifying - because in that document you would have
the allocation to
foster carers. I want the allocation of extra to. If these foster carers are going to work, then they bring
in babysitters to mind the children?
Ms GARDINER-BARNES: Yes, the figure I read out was on
top of foster carer allowances, payments
are made to cover the costs of childcare and after school fee services in addition to foster care
payments.
Ms ANDERSON: Can I have that tabled?
Mr CHAIRMAN: That concludes questions on Output 1.3.
Output 1.4 - Youth Services
Mr CHAIRMAN: We will now move to Output 1.4, Youth Services. Are there any questions?
Ms CARNEY: Minister, in February 2008 government announced various measures under the Youth
Justice Family Responsibility Amendment Bill. There was a blaze of publicity, and government made
all sorts of promises such as by way of media release 13 February the Auditor-General said:
Family Responsibility Agreements to hold parents accountable for their child’s antisocial
behaviour or criminal activity. The contractual agreements will require parents to better
monitor their children and may require parents to attend counselling or guidance programs.
I know you are expecting these questions. How many family responsibility agreements have been
made in 2009-10?
Mr VATSKALIS: In 2009-10, we had 12 family responsibility agreements involving 28 people.
Ms CARNEY: How many in Alice, how many in Darwin?
Mr VATSKALIS: There were two in Darwin involving four people, six in Palmerston involving 12
people, and four in Alice Springs involving 12 people.
Ms CARNEY: O course, this was the campaign that ran publicly with glossy brochures, radio
advertising and I think I recall some stuff in the newspaper. Last year was unspectacular with six
family responsibility agreements. This year is a little less unspectacular with 12. How many family
responsibility orders have been made – and, of course, you will remember the
blaze of publicity that
accompanied comments made or the policy of the government at the time, where parents would face
court-imposed family responsibility orders and so on? How many orders were made in 2009-10?
Mr VATSKALIS: You have to remember the family responsibility agreements are a voluntary plan; it
is not something the government punishes people with. It is actually people who seek assistance from
the government departments and we provide it. There have been no inquiries of family circumstances
this financial year because families are currently receiving support and guidance from the family
support centre. We do not need the criteria for consideration prior to an order being
made and, as a
result, no orders have been issued this year.
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
Ms CARNEY: Okay, no orders. How many fines were issued under the legislation in 2009-10, and
what was the value of those fines?
Mr VATSKALIS: Zero.
Ms CARNEY: No fines were issued?
Mr VATSKALIS: No.
Ms CARNEY: So, that is another failure. So, no orders. This is what we are getting at: government
promises much, delivers little. How many TVs were seized?
Mr VATSKALIS: Again, member for Araluen, it sounds good and probably good media to say ‘zero,
zero, zero’, but the reality is …
Ms CARNEY: Well, it sounded really good when you guys introduced your legislation and used
taxpayers’ dollars to flog it to everybody.
Mr CHAIRMAN: The minister has the call.
Mr VATSKALIS: Are you interested in listening to the answer or not?
Ms CARNEY: I am very interested to listen to the answer, and I am sure other people are as well. Nil,
in terms of fines issued. Next question: how many TVs were seized?
Mr VATSKALIS: It makes very good media to stand up and grandstand, but the
reality is the FRAs
are actually a voluntary mechanism for families, if they have problems with their children, to enter into
a voluntary agreement.
Ms CARNEY: FRAs, of course, they are agreements. My question is about orders. You said there
were no orders had been made.
Mr VATSKALIS: There were no orders. Yes.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you. Let us move on. Fines, there were none. How many goods were
seized
and what was the value of goods seized in 2009-10?
Mr VATSKALIS: There were no goods seized because …
Ms CARNEY: Okay. Thank you, minister, time is against us. We have done pretty well, 10.29 am.
Thank you very much indeed for coming along, and I guess there is a break.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Araluen,.
Ms CARNEY: I am done.
Mr WOOD: You know there is not a break.
Mr CHAIRMAN: Do you have questions to Output 1.4?
Mr WOOD: Yes, I do, Mr Chairman, as much as we get ignored, sometimes.
Minister, in
relation to Youth Services, you provide money for three youth camps, Tangentyere