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THE stoush between the State Government and the Parole Board shows no sign of abating with board chief Frances Nelson condemning inaction over child protection. In a letter to Families and Communities Minister Jay Weatherill, Ms Nelson calls on the Government to intervene in two extreme cases of child abuse involving a six year old and an eight year old. In one case, she says a young boy living with his drug- addicted mother has been the subject of 14 child abuse reports since 1998, five of which have been substantiated, including a sexual assault. "I am seriously concerned that, for a number of years, nothing has been done to assist this child by a department purportedly set up to protect children," Ms Nelson says in the letter. A spokeswoman for Mr Weatherill said it was inappropriate to respond to Ms Nelson's letter through the media but her comments would be investigated and he would "correspond privately with her". The letter details a history of reports on the boy including-
January 19, 2000: the two-
year- old child is found wandering on the streets.
Ms Nelson says: "This child is highly likely to indulge in criminal behaviour as a result of this neglect. The other child with which I am concerned lives in Mount Gambier and has been the subject of 15 mandated reports including regular and consistent sexual abuse from the father of his mother's new partner." The letter adds to tensions between the Government and Ms Nelson over mental health issues. On Tuesday, acting Attorney- General Paul Holloway issued a media statement entitled: "We want the truth, the whole truth, from Frances Nelson QC" which accuses her of making contradictory remarks over the release of a convicted killer residing in Glenside. "It appears from court transcripts that Ms Nelson has not been opposing the man's application," Mr Holloway said. But, letters and court documents provided to TheAdvertiser show Ms Nelson opposed the discharge of the man in a letter to Glenside last week. It follows an earlier letter dated June 18, in which she argued that re-locating the man to Berri was "totally unsuitable" and potentially compromised the safety of the community. Ms Nelson said Mr Holloway's comments were "quite wrong". "If all they can do is insult me personally, they obviously don't have anything material to say on the real issue, which is the under- resourcing of mental health," she said. Opposition corrections spokesman Angus Redford said Mr Holloway's attack on the long- serving Parole Board chair was deplorable, and called on him to apologise. Mr Bedford said Premier Mike Rann should "come out and face Frances Nelson like a man" instead of cowering behind his desk, "There is a huge hole in the Government's 'tough on law and order' rhetoric ... it has more to do with headlines than community safety," A spokes- woman for Mr Rann declined to respond to Mr Redford's comments yesterday. Adelaide Advertiser (5-8-2004) |
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