SA ministers tackle domestic violence, child protection but where does buck stop when trouble starts?

SOUTH Australia has a raft of ministers who take responsibility for tackling domestic violence and share the load on child protection but questions are being raised about exactly where the buck stops.

Premier Jay Weatherill has taken it upon himself to speak out against violent male attitudes towards women and children. Picture Naomi Jellicoe

• Families of domestic violence victims demand action to stop deadly toll
• Early intervention initiatives are vital to curbing domestic violence
• Police asked to include domestic violence data in monthly crime reports to ‘shock’ public
• Domestic violence in SA: Thousands of women seeking protection

HOW many ministers does it take to fix a broken system?

Five, it seems.

In South Australia, we have a raft of ministers who take responsibility for tackling domestic violence and share the load on child protection but questions are being raised about exactly where the buck stops.

Both issues were thrust back into the spotlight this week when we learned of the killings of Adeline Yvette Rigney-Wilson, 29, and her children, Amber, 6, and Corey, 5.

Her partner Steven Graham Peet, 30, is charged with their murders and child protection agency Families SA confirmed it had been in “active” contact with the family.

These are complex issues which must be tackled from multiple angles.

However, there are growing concerns that too many cooks are spoiling the broth and one person must be made ultimately responsible for these important portfolios.

Premier Jay Weatherill has taken it upon himself to speak out against violent male attitudes towards women and children, and to pursue early childhood care on the national agenda.

Attorney-General John Rau’s office has been charged with developing a broad-ranging discussion paper on new policies to address family violence, which is due within weeks.

He was also made Child Protection Reform Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle last year and will likely take the lead on implementing sweeping changes to that system after Royal Commissioner Margaret Nyland delivers her recommendations in early August.

Police and Corrections Minister Peter Malinauskas has an obvious role in overseeing the criminal aspects of the two social problems and ensuring authorities are protecting victims, penalising perpetrators and providing opportunities for rehabilitation.

Adeline Yvette Rigney-Wilson and her son Corey.

As Child Development Minister, Susan Close is responsible for the day-to-day work of Families SA.

Zoe Bettison holds the Status of Women portfolio and is the go-to minister for concerns about crisis service funding through to awareness campaigns. As a journalist seeking answers to questions about either the performance of the child protection system or efforts to curb domestic violence, it can be difficult to know where to direct questions.

I often find myself on a merry-go-round, being passed from one minister to the next. Or there may be a mad scramble of advisers behind the scenes as they try to decide which of their bosses should be the one to poke their head above the parapet for a particular request. So, I can only imagine what it must be like for victims trying to navigate the system and get some answers or some help.

Commissioner for Victims’ Rights Michael O’Connell often steps in to breach the gap, liaising with myriad departments on their half. But a growing chorus argue the situation should be streamlined.

Members of Parliament’s Social Development Committee — including Government MPs — recently released a report on domestic and family violence which recommended that responsibility be transferred to a single portfolio. They suggested the most suitable would be the Minister for the Status of Women.

The Victorian Government appointed the nation’s first dedicated Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Fiona Richardson, in December 2014. She is also the Minister for Women.

Centacare Catholic Family Services director Dale West says it is too easy to “pass the buck” in the current arrangements in SA.

“Whenever you’ve got more than one person with responsibility for something, you’ve got shared responsibility and that waters down responsibility,” he told The Advertiser.

“Unless you’ve got someone that’s ultimately responsible and can’t avoid that responsibility, then it’s too easy to pass the buck.”

However, Mr Rau — who juggles a mammoth nine portfolios — says it,s not feasible. He argues the issues range across health, drug and alcohol services, education, corrections, public housing and more.

“The idea that you could actually carve out a piece of all of those major departments and stick it under one minister is, frankly, naive,” he told The Advertiser.

South Australian authorities have pioneered a system which brings together representatives from the departments Mr Rau lists to take a multi-pronged approach to high-risk cases of family violence.

So with such a successful model already bringing authorities together, it could be argued that just one minister is needed to oversee that work. In our system, the buck ultimately stops with the Premier — who, incidentally, holds no official portfolios, but remains a busy man ranging across the gamut.

If there was to be a change, it should not be about singling out someone to blame when things go wrong. But a single focus by a determined mind, not distracted by diverse priorities, could only help.

For help, ring 1800 RESPECT or child abuse report line on 131 478