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Child abuse case ‘catastrophic’ says Premier

Jul 23, 2014

The alleged acts of a Families SA child carer at a government-run residential-care facility may be “one of the most catastrophic events in Australian history”, Premier Jay Weatherill said today.

The chilling description underlined the Premier’s media interviews this morning, where he acknowledged the case demonstrated a “massive failure” in the state’s care of children at risk.

He also forecast a complete review of the systems overseen by Families SA.

The Premier’s comments follow yesterday’s statement by police that they has charged a southern suburbs man with offences including seven counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, and the aggravated production, possession and dissemination of child exploitation material.

Families SA rocked by ‘horrific’ rape allegations

It followed a tip-off on June 6 that the man was involved in the distribution of child pornography. Officers searched his home on June 9 and allegedly found evidence of contact offences.

Police arrested the man on June 10 and he appeared in court, where he was remanded in custody.

It is alleged the man was employed at an out-of-school-hours care service and a residential care facility, where the offending is alleged to have taken place.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Dickson told radio station FiveAA this morning the alleged victims would take a long time to recover.

“The abuse has been horrific; it will take them a long time to recover.

“They are now in the care of their guardian or parent.”

Dickson said the children were likely to have been stuck in a cycle of abuse.

“That’s what makes this difficult.

“Some of them may have been abused (at home). That’s why they were in care and now they’ve gone back.”

The Department of Education and Child Development’s  David Waterford said parents of children at the school where the alleged offender worked were being notified by letter, while parents of children at the residential care facility were being told personally.

The fallout from the case has enveloped the entire South Australian state child-care system.

“We are now open to reconsider every aspect of the system,” Waterford told ABC Radio.

“We need to consider everything.”

Premier Weatherill said he accepted that there had to a recasting of the system.

“This case demonstrates a massive failure,” he told the ABC.

“All of the assumptions have to be tested.

“Everything we’re giving thought to is radical. Things that were untenable are now being given thought to.

“It may be one of the most catastrophic events in Australian history; the evil acts of one individual.”

The Premier said he had been advised of the case last Thursday. He said he had immediately asked police if they had enough resources, and sought assurances that parents would be advised “under the Debelle principles”.

He reiterated yesterday’s promise to commission an inquiry into the case, with the powers of a Royal Commission, although the timing and extent of the inquiry may be limited.

“We don’t want to jeopardise the prosecution,” Weatherill said.

“Elements of the inquiry could commence, for example an evaluation of the safeguards in place.”

The inquiry will run parallel to one already put in place by the Family First Upper House MP Dennis Hood.

Hood is chair of the Inquiry into Child Care and Protection in SA. Today he said he had already been contacted by 100 people wanting to appear.

It adds to the long list of child care and child abuse inquiries in SA since 2003.

 

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