No closer to details on protecting children

 The Labor Party are kidding themselves if they believe their so-called policy on child welfare is an achievement Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Larry Anthony said today.

“Labor’s vague policy on child welfare was released last week and since then there have been no attempts to clarify what it means and how it would actually work. It goes without saying that no costings for the policy were included.

“In his reply to the Budget last night, Simon Crean has missed the opportunity to give Australians detail about how his ‘plan’ to protect our children will work.

“Child protection is a State and Territory government responsibility. While Labor’s call for checks on everyone working with children is admirable, they really should consult with their Labor State colleagues to encourage them to adopt this.

“Simon Crean is unsure of what a ‘national voice’ for children means. In an interview with John Laws last week he clearly demonstrated this:

LAWS: That’s right, what sort of powers would the person have, or would the position have?

CREAN: It would be an advocacy coordinating role, it would be,… essentially that would be it’s roles, I, I, I don’t seem to think that this is something that you would necessarily give these persons power, that would be something you know down the track that when you looked at it, you might want to consider but I think that here, what we’ve got to do here is to learn what the best practices are in each states, learn where the deficiencies are, and advocate a better approach

LAWS: But if the position didn’t have any power, what could be achieved?

CREAN: Well, it (pause) what I’m saying John is that I think that the power in this is through its coordination, through its direction.

“The Labor’s Party ‘plan’ to protect children is a long way off being something they can hang their hat on,” Mr Anthony said.