Mr chairman: Good morning. I welcome Mr Vatskalis, and invite you to introduce the officers accompanying you, and if you wish to make an opening statement on behalf of the Department of Health and Families. Minister vatskalis’ portfolios

ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010 
 
Ms CARNEY: The system will be up and running on the 1July, then staff would have to be trained, so 
it will take some considerable time. Correct?
 
 
Mr VATSKALIS: Currently staff is in training so when it goes up on 1July people will be able to use it.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: In the present system there was a tool called the Integrated Offender Management 
System, Peter Toyne talked about it in 2002; I think it is just in the last year or so kicked off. So you 
will excuse me for being somewhat cynical about what you say and what actually happens in the 
department. I am still referring to this …
 
 
Mr VATSKALIS: Just one moment. I will ask Peter Toyne next time I see him in Alice Springs.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: Go for it. He is actually in Melbourne, but I digress. In the national framework in April 
2009 you indicated to your federal state and territory colleagues that another major, recent and 
planned reform was a practice advisor initiative to support casework practice. In an answer Clare 
gave before, she said the department is going to employ a practice advisor. So, minister, when will 
the practice advisor be employed, and why has it taken so very long to even think about employing 
one?
 
 
Ms GARDINER-BARNES: The Indigenous practice advisor has already been employed, and there is 
further recruitment being undertaken at the moment to employ additional practice advisors.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: When exactly?
 
 
Ms GARDINER-BARNES: We are recruiting right now for additional staff.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: So April 2009 there was a practice advisor imitative, so perhaps by the end of 2010 we 
might have some?
 
 
Mr VATSKALIS: Clare has said already a practice advisor has been employed.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: That is one, that is the Indigenous one, and you know it is broader than that.
 
 
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes, and further practice advisors will be employed. There are not many of them 
around Australia we have to look for people qualified everywhere, even in the UK and New Zealand, 
and we do so.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: In relation to the other report you tabled in February, the Children’s Commissioner 
report called Interim Progress Reporting to the Northern Territory Family and Children Intake and 
Response Processes, you will remember, minister, report was requested by your predecessor in 
November last year in response to a number of media and other reports alleging there were 
problems, amongst other things, with responsiveness in NTFC. The Children’s Commission said in his 
report, and I quote:
 
 
On 5 January he [and he was referring to you] wrote to the Children’s Commissioner 
requesting that an interim report be provided along with the full report of the Board of Inquiry.
 
 
As you know, the inquiry has been granted another extension and will not report until September. 
Have you asked for the interim report to be provided to you prior to September? 
 
 
Mr VATSKALIS: For the inquiry?
 
 
Ms CARNEY: Put it this way: in January you said to the Children’s Commissioner in a letter, yes, I 

---

ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010 
know you have an interim report; basically, bundle it up and put it with the Board of Inquiry. Have you 
got another, separate report, and have you ask for one, from the Children’s Commissioner, or is the 
status of this still interim, to be considered by the inquiry?
 
 
Mr VATSKALIS: It is still an interim report and it is going to be assessed as part of the inquiry.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: A number of recommendations in the report were described as draft, and I am not 
going to go through them all. I think there half a dozen or thereabouts. Three, in particular, are 
troubling. One of them was NTFC immediately review its training program for the central intake team 
staff members to ensure that all workers receive training in core child protection issues, critical 
decision making, and cultural awareness as part of this orientation programs for working in the CIT. 
Has that been done?
 
 
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes, and Clare can explain that.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: The answer has been provided, so yes that has been done. Another recommendation 
was the staffing level of the central intake team be increased by two full-time workers, and a systemic 
review of case loads and other workforce needs in the CIT be undertaken by NTFC. Has that been 
done?
 
 
Mr VATSKALIS: My advice is yes, but I will let Clare expand on that.
 
 
Ms GARDINER-BARNES: The current staffing for the Central Intake Team is held within the Child 
Abuse Taskforce, and at the moment there are 13 Child Abuse Taskforce staff members in CAT 
North, and three in CAT South, and that includes the staff of the intake team.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: Put it this way, has the staffing level of the central intake team been increased by two 
full-time workers, as recommended by the Children’s Commissioner in his report tabled in February?
 
 
Ms GARDINER-BARNES: That is correct.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: When were they employed?
 
 
Ms GARDINER-BARNES: I will have to take that question on notice for the dates of their 
employment.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: Question on notice, Mr Chairman.
 
_________________________________
 
 
Question on Notice No 7.1
 
 
Mr CHAIRMAN: Would you mind repeating that question?
 
 
Ms CARNEY: When were the two additional full-time workers employed in the central intake team?
 
 
Mr CHAIRMAN: That is question No 7.1.
 
_________________________________
 
 
Mr CHAIRMAN: A matter of housekeeping, when officials are taking note of a question on notice, 
could you please note of the question number so the minister has opportunity, later in the Estimates 
Committee process, to answer that question. He can refer to the number, and Hansard can easily find 
it.
 
 
Ms CARNEY: A follow-up question, and this may need to be on notice, but you may be able to 

---