Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:617;Page:13138] 
8.  
KATHERINE RICH (National) 
 to the  
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF) 
: When did the former Department of Social Welfare and its Minister first become aware of allegations regarding the medical examination of children without parental consent at Glenelg Children’s Health Camp? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF)) 
: 
 According to the available files the then Minister of Social Welfare Jenny Shipley first became aware in September 1993 of allegations regarding the medical examination of children without parental consent at Glenelg Children’s Health Camp. In a letter dated 27 September 1993 the then Associate Minister of Health Katherine O’Regan advised Mrs Shipley that the Parents Against INjustice Society (NZ) had asked her to conduct a ministerial inquiry into the camp but stated she believed there were insufficient grounds to initiate such an inquiry at that time. 
Katherine Rich 
: Did the former Department of Social Welfare and its Minister consider any official or unofficial recommendations that the ethics of carrying out internal examinations of children without parental consent should be investigated; if so when and what steps did the Minister at the time take to follow up those recommendations? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Given the age of both the original allegations and the first point of notification to the Ministers and despite extensive searching of the available records neither of those incidences has been produced. If the member has any issues and can provide the information that I require to follow them up I would be very happy to do so. 
Deborah Coddington 
: If the Minister was the parent of a 7 8 or 12-year-old girl who had been repeatedly examined in an inappropriate way while in the care of the State and then separated from her father by the State would she not want an inquiry into that; if not why not and if yes why will she not order an inquiry? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister can be asked about the inquiry. 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: My understanding is that none of the young people involved were actually in the care of the State at the time of the alleged abuse. Their going into the care of the State came as a result of the allegations of sexual abuse by their fathers which were not confirmed after a police investigation. If I were a member of one of the families or if I were any of the individual people involved I would have taken a case to the Medical Council as was recommended in 1993 and I am really unsure as to why that was never proceeded with. 
Katherine Rich 
: When if at all did the former Department of Social Welfare and its Minister consider any official or unofficial recommendations that allegations that staff at Glenelg Health Camp presumed every child had been sexually abused should be investigated; if so what steps did the Minister at the time take to examine those issues? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: The only record of correspondence in relation to the then Minister of Social Welfare that has been made available to me is the letter from Katherine O’Regan that I referred to in answer to the primary question and then a subsequent letter again from Katherine O’Regan to the then new Minister of Social Welfare the Hon Peter Gresham on 16 December 1993. 
Katherine Rich 
: Check the file. 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I have checked the file. Last week Mrs Rich made similar allegations about information that had not been provided to me in answer to a letter. I have asked her to provide it and I am still waiting for it. 
Deborah Coddington 
: Is the real reason why the Labour Government will not order an inquiry into Glenelg Children’s Health Camp and the behaviour of a doctor there who examined children that the inquiry would criticise the actions or inactions of previous Ministers of Health including the Rt Hon Helen Clark? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No.