Latest news with #PaulAnastassiouKC
Sydney Morning Herald
23-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Queensland's child safety system is ‘broken'. This body is tasked with fixing it
Queensland is burdened with a 'broken child safety system' that needs fundamental changes to prevent further harm to children. That's according to minister Amanda Camm, who spoke as a $20 million Commission of Inquiry into the Child Safety System kicked off in Brisbane on Wednesday morning. The inquiry, which is expected to run for 17 months and travel across the state, will investigate failures in the institutions and processes that exist to protect young people – particularly those facing abuse or neglect. 'This is the commission of inquiry that Queensland needs,' the minister for child safety and the prevention of domestic and family violence said outside Brisbane Magistrates Court. 'We need to get to the bottom of … this broken child safety system.' Given its wide scope, the commission is set to investigate everything from out-of-home care to safety in childcare centres, following multiple high-profile abuse allegations across the country. Proceedings kicked off in the Roma Street court about 10am on Wednesday. More than 60 people – including public servants, police representatives, journalists, and at least one child with experience in the out-of-home care system – crammed into the level four courtroom as Commissioner Paul Anastassiou KC began.
The Age
23-07-2025
- The Age
Queensland's child safety system is ‘broken'. This body is tasked with fixing it
Queensland is burdened with a 'broken child safety system' that needs fundamental changes to prevent further harm to children. That's according to minister Amanda Camm, who spoke as a $20 million Commission of Inquiry into the Child Safety System kicked off in Brisbane on Wednesday morning. The inquiry, which is expected to run for 17 months and travel across the state, will investigate failures in the institutions and processes that exist to protect young people – particularly those facing abuse or neglect. 'This is the commission of inquiry that Queensland needs,' the minister for child safety and the prevention of domestic and family violence said outside Brisbane Magistrates Court. 'We need to get to the bottom of … this broken child safety system.' Given its wide scope, the commission is set to investigate everything from out-of-home care to safety in childcare centres, following multiple high-profile abuse allegations across the country. Proceedings kicked off in the Roma Street court about 10am on Wednesday. More than 60 people – including public servants, police representatives, journalists, and at least one child with experience in the out-of-home care system – crammed into the level four courtroom as Commissioner Paul Anastassiou KC began.
The Age
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
‘Systemic failure, ballooning costs': Government to spend $20m on child safety inquiry
The Queensland government will spend $20 million to establish an inquiry largely focused on investigating the cost of children in residential care, as the child safety minister criticised the sector's 'skyrocketing' budget under the previous Labor government. The inquiry, to be led from July 1 by former federal court judge Paul Anastassiou KC, will investigate failings within what the Crisafulli government describes as a broken child safety system. Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm on Monday confirmed the Commission of Inquiry into Child Safety would cost $20 million to establish, and would cover the setup of the office, support resources and staffing. Anastassiou's remit will include a focus on reforming the residential care system, including investigating the current state of the market of residential care providers operating under both for-profit and not-for-profit models. It will also analyse the former government's procurement and contracting process for residential care providers in a bid to improve efficiency. The inquiry will be the second in recent years. It follows the completion of the Carmody Child Protection Inquiry in 2013, and raises the question of effectiveness, and cost. Camm conceded the $20 million pricetag was a 'significant investment', but said she believed Queenslanders would agree it was necessary to act. 'In 2014 and 2015 the residential care and out-of-home care system budget was at $200 million. This year it is at $1.12 billion,' she said. 'I have real concerns when companies are paying themselves $5 million dividends to shareholders on the back of a service being provided to vulnerable children,' she said, referencing an audit into one for-profit residential care provider who was revealed to have paid dividends to their three shareholders totalling $5.21 million last year.
Sydney Morning Herald
19-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Systemic failure, ballooning costs': Government to spend $20m on child safety inquiry
The Queensland government will spend $20 million to establish an inquiry largely focused on investigating the cost of children in residential care, as the child safety minister criticised the sector's 'skyrocketing' budget under the previous Labor government. The inquiry, to be led from July 1 by former federal court judge Paul Anastassiou KC, will investigate failings within what the Crisafulli government describes as a broken child safety system. Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm on Monday confirmed the Commission of Inquiry into Child Safety would cost $20 million to establish, and would cover the setup of the office, support resources and staffing. Anastassiou's remit will include a focus on reforming the residential care system, including investigating the current state of the market of residential care providers operating under both for-profit and not-for-profit models. It will also analyse the former government's procurement and contracting process for residential care providers in a bid to improve efficiency. The inquiry will be the second in recent years. It follows the completion of the Carmody Child Protection Inquiry in 2013, and raises the question of effectiveness, and cost. Camm conceded the $20 million pricetag was a 'significant investment', but said she believed Queenslanders would agree it was necessary to act. 'In 2014 and 2015 the residential care and out-of-home care system budget was at $200 million. This year it is at $1.12 billion,' she said. 'I have real concerns when companies are paying themselves $5 million dividends to shareholders on the back of a service being provided to vulnerable children,' she said, referencing an audit into one for-profit residential care provider who was revealed to have paid dividends to their three shareholders totalling $5.21 million last year.
