Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard denies spending more time on sporting commitments than on child protection

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard’s diary records, released under Freedom of Information, reflect she has dedicated more hours to her sport, recreation and racing portfolio.

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard has denied accusations she has dedicated more time to sporting commitments than to fixing the ailing child protection system.

Ministerial diary records released under Freedom of Information reflect 230 hours dedicated to child protection, and at least 254.5 hours dedicated to her other portfolio of sport, recreation and racing.

Opposition child protection spokesman Josh Teague accused Ms Hildyard of prioritising social events and sports games over securing the safety of vulnerable children.

“Katrine Hildyard needs to be clear on her priority,” he said.

“The minister’s priority must be our state’s most vulnerable children.”

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard. Picture NCA NewsWire/Emma Brasier.

Mr Teague called on Ms Hildyard to relinquish her sporting portfolio and focus on fixing “the crisis that’s tragically claimed little lives in South Australia”.

Responding the breakdown of hours in her diary, and opposition questions over her priorities, Ms Hildyard said: “these slurs are outrageous”.

She said her time commitment to child protection work extended well beyond that documented in her diary.

“Every night in my diary there are hours and hours of time set aside for briefings, time that extends well beyond those hours,” she told parliamentary question time on Tuesday.

Ms Hildyard also said she generally “pops in” to sporting events that appeared in her diary, and does not attend every event for the entirety of the scheduled time.

She said the task ahead in child protect system reform is “deeply complex”.

“I’m not sure if the shadow minister has turned his mind to child protection before child protection before the last few months, but what’s really clear now is that he still hasn’t turned his mind to the issues in child protection,” she said.