Turner Judy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Turner Judy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:615;Page:10957] 
12.  
JUDY TURNER (United Future) 
 to the  
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF) 
: Does she agree with the comments of the former Department of Child Youth and Family Services Acting Chief Executive Brenda Pilott that “considerable progress” had been made towards improving the quality and consistency of the department’s call centre systems following the September 2002 Department of Child Youth and Family Services national call centre evaluation report; if so why? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF)) 
: 
 Yes I do agree with those comments. Since the evaluation report the Department of Child Youth and Family Services’ call centre services have been expanded the quality and consistency of the service have been improved through a number of initiatives and a communication plan promoting the call centre’s services to organisations such as schools and the police and to health professionals has been implemented. As with any infrastructural issue though there is always room for further improvement. 
Judy Turner 
: In light of the fact that the department has already been told in December 2002 that its intake services were not good enough and that in response one of its goals was supposedly to “improve practice quality and consistency of work” does the Minister agree that it is simply unacceptable that Ailsa Duffy QC should have had to report in December 2003 that a lack of quality assurance was responsible for the fact that Ron Burrows’ call about Coral-Ellen Burrows was not treated as a notification? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: It certainly is disappointing that the quality assurance recommendations in the previous evaluation report were not implemented to the extent it was necessary for Ailsa Duffy QC still to make that comment. 
Georgina Beyer 
: Has the Minister seen any recent reports commenting on the quality of the call centre service? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes I have. Ailsa Duffy QC in her report commissioned by the department late last year observed that call centre staff are competent committed and conscientious workers. However she identified professional support systems as needing further improvement and recommended better resourcing. Those recommendations have been actioned. 
Judith Collins 
: How does the Minister justify her Government’s race-based policies when Pakeha referrals to the Department of Child Youth and Family Services have dropped by 18 percent since 1999 but Maori referrals have remained constant despite the Government’s “reducing inequalities” programme formerly known as closing the gaps? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Because I and my colleagues take a much more serious and considered analytical approach to using statistics—rather than using them to attack and divide people on the basis of their race. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: Does the Minister stand by her statement to a child poverty forum this week that she is “Steve Maharey’s stunt double” and that in her “non-controversial portfolio” of Child Youth and Family Services “any publicity is good publicity”; if so can she explain to the House how the scandal that the call centre failure could have contributed to the death of Coral-Ellen Burrows could possibly be described as “good publicity”? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I frequently introduce myself when I am replacing a colleague at a particular function as his or her “stunt double”. I am particularly proud to have been Steve Maharey’s on Monday night. With reference to the rest of the comments that the member made I will give her the same advice I gave to her colleague: get more reliable sources. 
Judy Turner 
: In light of the fact that the September 2002 call centre evaluation had already identified a lack of effective and timely supervision and when the department’s policy was that each intake social worker should get at least 1.5 supervised hours a week can the Minister explain why Ailsa Duffy reported last year that no call centre intake social worker she interviewed was subject to that level of supervision and none had undergone an induction programme? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: As I indicated in an answer to a previous question it is very disappointing that previous recommendations supported by the Government were not fully implemented with regard to the recommendations made in the Ailsa Duffy report I alluded to in my prior answer. Those recommendations have now been actioned. 
Judy Turner 
: In light of the fact that an organisation charged with the care and protection of our children totally failed to implement the recommendations of a 112-page call centre evaluation report—which might have saved a child’s life—is the Minister at all surprised that New Zealanders have no confidence in the Department of Child Youth and Family Services and no confidence that it can be fixed by anything less than ripping the whole outfit down and starting all over again? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No I do not agree that that would be a sensible or practical solution. It is hard work ensuring that the public gain confidence in an organisation—confidence that is clearly required in order for us to work satisfactorily. I have confidence that through the recommendations outlined in the baseline review and with the genuine goodwill and commitment of the staff of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services we will win that confidence back again.