LNP call to probe family decision

THE LNP has called for the State Government to review a Child Safety Services decision to attempt to reunite a family despite a pot-smoking and violent mother having bashed her daughter.

The Bulletin yesterday revealed the department’s plans despite a four-year-old indigenous Gold Coast girl sustaining a fractured face and acquired brain injury after being bashed by her 21-yearold mother in March this year.

In its current assessment, department officers in a case plan for the injured girl’s younger sister said the overall goal was for “reunification”.

A Bulletin investigation found that it took months after the bashing before the mother, like her male partner, was required to undergo drug testing.

She had been ordered to see counsellors despite “smoking bongs and having driven dangerously” with the younger daughter in her car.

Opposition child safety spokesman Stephen Bennett said the Coast case should be reviewed because it showed similar warning signs to the lead-up of the death of Caboolture toddler Mason Jett Lee in June last year.

“Once again it has been revealed that a child has been placed in grave danger because of bureaucracy gone mad under Annastacia Palaszczuk,” Mr Bennett said.

“How many times will this

Government send back kids who are at risk to deadbeat parents?

“This case is a classic example of why reunification has not worked and kids should be removed into a safe and loving environment.”

Mr Bennett said the new Permanency Bill could be used to protect the children.

Under the laws, the provisions for children in danger require that finding a permanent and stable home forms part of the case plan for each child coming into care and a new “permanency care order” will be created.

Mr Bennett called on new minister Di Farmer to order an urgent review of this case “as it parallels with the Mason Jett Lee case – and we all know what happened there”.

Ms Farmer said it was “deeply disappointing” that Mr Bennett would stoop to untruths and smear as his first contribution in this area.

“I won’t get down in the gutter with the LNP,” she said.

“We are getting on with the job of adding more than 400 new Child Safety staff, saving lives and helping vulnerable families each and every day.”