Mason Jet Lee: Child Safety Minister defends decision not to release report on dead toddler
'A report suggesting Queensland child safety workers made serious errors of judgement in the case of a toddler who died north of Brisbane will not be released publicly, despite the Premier's earlier suggestion that it would.'
'Queensland's Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman said the report found staff may have breached laws, standards, codes and procedures when dealing with Mason and his family.
The Opposition has called for the internal report to be released.'
'But Ms Fentiman said it was just the first step in a string of reviews and investigations, including by the coroner, police, the Child Death Review Panel, and the Queensland Family and Child Commission.
She said she would take the unprecedented step of releasing the panel's final report.
We have to let the experts now do their job, and that's to review this material and look at whether or not there are any broader systemic issues in the department," Ms Fentiman said.
"And that final report will contain much of this [internal] report, and that will be released in January.
"But I'm not going to prejudice the work that an expert child death review panel has to do and the work that the family and child commission has to do."
However, hours later Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk appeared to contradict her Minister.
Asked if the internal report should be released now, the Premier said:
"The report will be released publicly, however it has now been forwarded to the panel, the Children's Death Review Panel that has to go through that report in detail.
"I want to give them the opportunity to do their job and do their job thoroughly, and then ... the Government will ensure that that report is released."
Ms Palaszczuk's office later clarified that the Government would not be releasing the report.
Ms Palaszczuk said she had given Ms Fentiman the resources to make the department work efficiently, citing new frontline service officers.
Yesterday, Ms Fentiman said even with new staff the Caboolture region was still failing to meet demand.'
