Eleven children removed from Safe Pathways' care in Tasmania
Updated
The Tasmanian Government has confirmed 11 children have been removed from under-fire residential care provider Safe Pathways.
Earlier in the week the ABC aired fresh allegations that a 12-year-old ward of the state had been neglected by the for-profit organisation.
A Government review is examining those allegations, as well as reports from ABC TV's Four Corners that very little of the hundreds of thousands of dollars the organisation receives is used to help children in need.
The ABC revealed last night that the children were being removed, and now Human Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma has confirmed it.
"The transfer will take place as soon as possible, but allowing time to ensure that all children are placed in appropriate alternative care with as little disruption as possible," she said.
Minister blames media for causing 'distress'
The Minister maintained the children in the care of the organisation were safe, and blamed the media's reporting of neglect allegations.
"I'm also advised the ongoing media attention has caused a level of distress to some children at home and at school," she said.
An exact timeframe of the Government review is unclear, but the Minister said preliminary advice was that there may be some financial discrepancies.
"Later in the afternoon, at around 4:00pm, I received preliminary verbal advice that the interim independent financial audit had revealed some anomalies," she said in a statement.
The Minister has not ruled out the children returning to the care of Safe Pathways when the review is complete.
Petrusma's position untenable, says Green
Opposition Leader Bryan Green said the Government had been too "hands-off" on the issue, and Ms Petrusma's position was "no longer tenable".
"Jacquie Petrusma should resign or the Premier should sack her," he said.
"It's not good enough that you've got a for-profit organisation charging $9,000 a week to look after children and those children are being neglected," he said.
Mr Green said Mrs Petrusma was the guardian of the children in question, and she had let them down.
"To suggest the media pressure has meant these children are removed as opposed to the issues of neglect is disgraceful," he said.
'Damning testimonies not acted on soon enough'
Greens Leader Cassy O'Connor agreed Ms Petrusma's response that children were removed due to distress from media coverage was "outrageous".
"The responsibility for these children, for signing the contract with Safe Pathways rests squarely with the Minister's shoulders and she should accept responsibility," she said.
"There needs to be a commitment from the Government that there will be no more privatisation of children's services."
Ms O'Connor said there had been "damning testimonies" from staff that had not been acted on soon enough.
"It's just unbelievable buck passing," she said.
Topics: community-and-society, government-and-politics, tas
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