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Sexual Assault Report Buried

THREE Government ministers have been questioned in Parliament about stopping a departmental report on sexual assault going to a parliamentary inquiry.
The 26-page report criticises some police and court procedures and recommends major changes in the way sexual assault cases are handled and subsequently prosecuted.
It also says low conviction rates for sexual assault contribute to victims/survivors' reluctance to report sexual assault offences for fear of not being supported and believed.
Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, Health Minister Lea Stevens and Families and Communities Minister Jay Weatherill were all asked about the issue in State Parliament yesterday by Greens MP Kris Hanna.
Both Mr Atkinson and Mr Weatherill said they could not recall or had no recollection of, the report while Ms Stevens said she would bring back a reply.
Parliament's Legislative Review Committee. made up of MPs from both Houses, has been investigating the issue of sexual assault and the need for changes to laws since late last year.
The report from the Department of Human Services was set to be presented to the committee in March, but on June 23, Ms Stevens wrote to the committee saying the department will now not be providing a submission."
She says in the letter, a copy of which has been given to The Advertiser, this is because the inquiry's terms of reference mainly pertain to matters within the criminal justice system and "are acknowledged as the responsibility of the Attorney-General".
The comments reflect an e-mail from Ms Stevens' chief of staff to a Human Services Department officer, re- leased to Mr Hanna, sayings. "The minister does not want this submission to proceed and I understand Minister Weatherill's office is of a similar view."
Outside Parliament, Mr Hanna said he was "astonished" the three ministers could not recall blocking a submission to the sexual assault inquiry.
"I cannot speculate about the ministers' motives for wanting to bury this document," Mr Hanna said.

Adelaide Advertiser (23-11-2004)
Greg Kelton