Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T23:03:09.522Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

From minimal intervention to minimal support: Child protection services under the neo-liberal Kennett Government in Victoria 1992-1999

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Philip Mendes
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article examines the politics and ideology of Victorian child protection services during the Kennett years. The argument advanced is that the Kennett Liberal/National Party Coalition Government viewed child abuse in narrow, individualistic terms. In contrast to the previous Labor Government, which emphasized a philosophy of minimal intervention based on a partnership of family, community and the state, the Kennett philosophy was one of minimal support. The key emphasis was on the reporting of child abuse to statutory child protection authorities, and the treatment and punishment of individual offenders. Spending on broader structural prevention and support services which actually help the victims of abuse was not a priority.

A number of examples of this neo-liberal agenda are given, including the poorly timed introduction of mandatory reporting and the associated diversion of resources from support services to investigation; the early cuts to accommodation and non-government support services; the inadequate response to demonstrated links between child abuse and poverty; the censorship of internal and external critics; and the appalling handling of the strike by child protection workers. Attention is focused primarily on the broader macro-political debates, rather than specific micro-service delivery issues.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , 2001 , pp. 4 - 11
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aldous, J. (1994), Mandatory Reporting, Melbourne: VCTA Publishing.Google Scholar
Alford, J. et al (1994), ‘The Contract State’ in Alford, J. and O’Neill, D. (eds.) The Contract State: Public Management and the Kennett Government, Melbourne: Deakin University Press, 1–20.Google Scholar
Armytage, P. (1994), ‘The challenges that lie ahead in 1995’, Momentum, 2(7), 3.Google Scholar
Atkins, C. & McCaughey, J. (1999), Social Justice Report Card – Women : Balancing Social Justice with Economic Efficiency, Melbourne: People Together Project.Google Scholar
Auditor-General (1996), Protecting Victoria’s Children: The Role of the Department of Human Services, Melbourne: Victorians Government.Google Scholar
Australian Labor Party (1999), Labor: New Solutions, Melbourne: ALP.Google Scholar
Baker, K. (1996a), ‘Panel Comments’ in Proceedings of The Utopian Quest for Social Justice Conference, Melbourne: Galatians, 69–75.Google Scholar
Baker, K. (1996b), ‘Time for a kinder, gentler courage’, The Age, 26 March.Google Scholar
Bayliss, M. & Carter, H. (1994), Which Bums in What Beds? Melbourne: St Anthony’s Family Services.Google Scholar
Bessant, J. (1999), ‘How a State Changed its Government: From Kennett to Bracks’, Just Policy, 17 (December), 4–10.Google Scholar
Blacher, Y. (1996), ‘The Redevelopment of Youth and Family Services’, Keynote Address to CWAV Seminar: Strategic Management in the Contract State, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Blacher, Y. (1997), ‘Outsourcing: Opportunity or Threat – Nine Misconceptions About Competitive Tendering’,Address to CWAV Conference: The Cutting Edge, Melbourne, 35–45.Google Scholar
Brennan, D. (1998), ‘Government and Civil Society’ in Smyth, P. and Cass, B. (eds.) Contesting the Australian Way, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 124–137.Google Scholar
Bursian, O. (1995), ‘Economic Liberalism and the Community Services Industry: A Case Study’, Just Policy, 3(June) 3–10.Google Scholar
Campbell, C. (2000) ‘Clara’s story demands our attention’, The Age, 27 October.Google Scholar
Carney, T. (1984), Child Welfare Practice and Legislation Review, Melbourne: Victorian Government.Google Scholar
Carney, T. (1989), ‘A Fresh Approach to Child Protection Practice and Legislation in Australia’, Child Abuse & Neglect, 13, 29–39.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carter, J.; Burston, O.; Floyd, F. & Stewart, J. (1988), Mandatory Reporting and Child Abuse, Melbourne: Brotherhood of St Laurence.Google Scholar
Chandler, J. (1993), ‘Doctors might relent on abuse reporting’, The Age, 27 March.Google Scholar
Chatley, B. (1996), ‘A Middle Manager’s Perspective of the H & CS Industrial Dispute’, Australian Association of Social Workers Victorian Branch Newsletter; 5(2) (May), 19–21.Google Scholar
Children’s Welfare Association of Victoria (1997), Child Protection Project Report, Melbourne: CWAV.Google Scholar
Children’s Welfare Association of Victoria (1998), Australian Labor Party Brief: Children, Young People and Families, Melbourne: CWAV.Google Scholar
Children’s Welfare Association of Victoria (1999), 87th Annual Report, Melbourne: CWAV.Google Scholar
Choi, Ching. et al (1999), Australia’s Welfare Services & Assistance, Canberra: Australian Institute of Health & Welfare.Google Scholar
Clark, R. (1995), ‘Child Protection Services in Victoria’, Family Matters, 40 (Autumn), 22–23.Google Scholar
Conroy, P. (1995), ‘Levine leaves Children’s Court’, The Age, 14 September.Google Scholar
Crooks, M. & Webber, M. (1993), State Finances and Public Policy in Victoria, Melbourne: The Victoria Foundation.Google Scholar
Department of Human Services (1997a), The Redevelopment of Victoria’s Youth and Family Services, Melbourne: Victorian Government.Google Scholar
Department of Human Services (1997b), State Government Budget 1997–98, Melbourne: Victorian Government.Google Scholar
Department of Human Services (2000), New Partnerships in Community Care, Melbourne: Victorian Government.Google Scholar
Donnelly, Barb. et al (1997) ‘Letter to the AASW’, Australian Association of Social Workers Victorian Branch Newsletter, 5(5), 8.Google Scholar
Dunlevy, L. & Hughes, G. (1993), ‘Keimett hits out at Fogarty and his report’, The Age, 24 September.Google Scholar
Easterbrook, M. (1994), ‘What to do about the children?’, The Age, 27 AugustGoogle Scholar
Ernst, J. & Webber, M. (1996), ‘Ideology and Interests: Privatisation in Theory and Practice’ in Webber, M. and Crooks, M. (eds.) Puffing the People Last: Government Services and Rights in Victoria, Melbourne: Hyland House, 113–140.Google Scholar
Fernandez, E. (1996), Significant Harm, Avebury: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Fernandez, E. (1998), ‘Realities of Women’s Caring: Rethinking Child Welfare Interventions’ in Fernandez, E., Heycox, K., Hughes, L. and Wilkinson, M. (eds.) Women Participating in Global Change, Hong Kong: International Association of Schools of Social Work, 221–239.Google Scholar
Fogarty, J. (1993), Protective Services for Children in Victoria, Melbourne: Victorian Government.Google Scholar
Fredman, J. & Green, S. (1994), In Whose Care? Melbourne: Mission to the Streets and Lanes.Google Scholar
Garbutt, S. (1993), ‘Children and Young Persons Bill’, Legislative Assembly Hansard, 29 April, 47–56.Google Scholar
Goddard, C. & Liddell., M. (1995), ‘Child Abuse Fatalities and the Media: Lessons from a Case Study’, Child Abuse Review, 4, 356–364.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goddard, C. (1996), Child abuse and child protection, Melbourne: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Goddard, C. & Tucci, J. (1997), ‘Learning to listen to children in need’, The Age, 10 December.Google Scholar
Green, J. & Miller, C. (1997), ‘Gag claim over welfare funding’, The Age, 30 July.Google Scholar
Hancock, K. (1994), ‘Child Abuse: The Obligation to Report’, ACTCOSS News, 9(4), 47–51.Google Scholar
Hancock, L. (1999), ‘The Justice System and Accountability’, in Costar, B. and Economou, N. (eds.) The Kennett Revolution, Sydney: UNSW Press, 37–50.Google Scholar
Hancock, L. & Cowling, S. (1999), Searching for Social Advantage: What has Happened to the Social Dividend for Victorians? Melbourne: Women’s Audit Project.Google Scholar
Hayward, D. (1999), ‘A Financial Revolution?: The Politics of the State Budget’ in Costar, B. and Economou, N. (eds.) The Kennett Revolution, UNSW Press: Sydney, 135–149.Google Scholar
Health & Community Services (1996a), ‘Appeal to Staff of the Department of Health and Community Services’, The Age, 12 March.Google Scholar
Health & Community Services (1996b), ‘It’s Time to Come Back to Work’, The Age, 18 March.Google Scholar
Holland, G. (1998), ‘The influence of mandatory reporting legislation on doctors’ reporting behaviour’, Master of Social Science Thesis, Melbourne: Australian Catholic University.Google Scholar
Holland, G. (1999), ‘Mandatory reporting of abuse’, Youth Studies, 18(2), 30–36.Google Scholar
Hood, M. (1998), ‘The interplay between poverty, unemployment, family disruption and all types of child abuse’, Children Australia, 23(2), 28–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hough, G. (1995), ‘Dismantling Child Welfare’ in Rees, S. and Rodley, G. (eds.) The Human Costs of Managerialism, Leichhardt: Pluto Press, 173–181.Google Scholar
Hudson, R. & Wiseman, J. (1995), ‘The fat man cometh? The initial policy directions of the Victorian Liberal/National Party Government’ in Spoehr, J. and Broomhill, R. (eds.) Altered States, Adelaide: Centre for Labour Studies, 182–195.Google Scholar
Inglis, R. (1994), Competition – Who Wins? The Impact of State Coalition Government Policies in the Western Region of Melbourne, Melbourne: Victoria University of Technology.Google Scholar
John, M. (1992), Ministerial Statement, Melbourne, 25 November.Google Scholar
Johnstone, M. (1999), Reporting Child Abuse: Ethical Issues for the Nursing Profession and Nurse Regulating Authorities, Melbourne: RMIT University.Google Scholar
Kohler, A. (1997), ‘The radical right wing speeds the Kennett revolution’, The Age, 14 February.Google Scholar
Lawrence-Karski, R. (1997), ‘United States: California’s Reporting System’ in Gilbert, N. (ed.) Combatting Child Abuse, New York: Oxford University Press, 9–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindsey, D. (1994), The Welfare of Children, New York: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McMahon, A. (1998) Damned if you do, Damned if you don’t: Working in child welfare, Aldershot: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Melville, R. (1998), ‘The State and Third Sector Organizations: Renegotiating the Relationship in the 1990s’, Address to 27th Annual Arnova Conference, Seattle.Google Scholar
Mendes, P. (1994), ‘The Fogarty Report and the Politics of Child Protection’, Victorian Council of Social Service Policy Issues Forum, Autumn, 13–21.Google Scholar
Mendes, P. (1996), ‘The historical and political context of mandatory reporting and its impact on child protection practice in Victoria’, Australian Social Work, 49(4), 25–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mendes, P. (1997), ‘Child protection and child abuse in Victoria: What is going wrong?’, Address to CWAV Conference: The Cutting Edge, Melbourne, 178–194.Google Scholar
Mendes, P. (1999), ‘Marxist and feminist critiques of child protection’, Children Australia, 24(2), 27–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milbum, C. (1994), ‘Public critics, private warnings’, The Age, 29 October.Google Scholar
Mitchell, B. (1996), Report from America: Child Welfare and Child Protection Services, Melbourne: St Anthony’s Family Service.Google Scholar
Momentum/People Focus (1993–2000), Melbourne: Victorian Government.Google Scholar
Morrison, P. (1997), ‘Sector meets to discuss confidentiality clause’, VCOSS Notice board, 10(7), 4–5.Google Scholar
Mottram, M. (1999a), ‘Legal case may protect whistleblowers’, The Age, 24 AugustGoogle Scholar
Mottram, M. (1999b), ‘Ruling may set employee precedent’, The Age, 1 December.Google Scholar
Napthine, D. (1997), ‘Abuse reports up, but so is budget’, The Age, 17 January.Google Scholar
Osborne, D. & Gaebler, T. (1993), Reinventing Government, New York: Penguin.Google Scholar
Pegler, T. (1997), ‘Fears child protection may go private’. The Age, 10 March.Google Scholar
Prent, J. & Lewis, P. (1996), Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Families Investigated by Protective Services, Melbourne: Victorian Government.Google Scholar
Prideaux, J. (1999), Keeping Children Safe – A Shared Responsibility: An Evaluation of the Community Education Program, Canberra: ACT Child Abuse Prevention and Education Unit.Google Scholar
Raysmith, H. (1994), Dorothy and the Satellites: Child care, child protection and family support in Victoria, Richmond: Hop, Step and Jump.Google Scholar
Russell, B. (1999), ‘Rebuilding Victoria after Kannea’, Dissent, Summer, 54–57.Google Scholar
Sahau, C. (1999), ‘More money for children, needy’, The Age, 14 December.Google Scholar
Salvaris, M. (1995), ‘Jeff Kermett’s Anti-Government’ in Rees, S. and Rodley, G. (eds.) The Human Costs of Managerialism, Leichhardt: Pluto Press, 145–158.Google Scholar
Scott, D. (1995), ‘Child Protection: Paradoxs of Publicity, Policy and Practice’, Australian Journal of Social Issues, 30(1), 71–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scott, L. (1999), ‘Children pay the price of poverty’. The Australian, 11 October.Google Scholar
Self, P. (1993), Government by the Market? The Politics of Public Choice, MacMillan: London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheil, C. (1999), The State of the States 1999, Sydney: Public Sector Research Centre.Google Scholar
Swain, P. (1998), ‘What is Belief on Reasonable Grounds?’, Alternative Law Journal, 23(5), 230–233.Google Scholar
Thorpe, D. (1997), ‘Policing minority child-rearing practices in Australia’ in Parton, N. (ed.) Child Protection and Family Support, London: Routledge, 59–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tippet, G. (1994), ‘Uproar as magistrate told to quit’, The Age, 21 September.Google Scholar
Tomison, A. (1996), ‘Child Protection Towards 2000’, Child Abuse Prevention, 4(2), 1–3.Google Scholar
Victorian Council of Social Service (1993), Submission to Fogarty Review: Strengthening the Community’s Capacity to Protect its Children and Young People, Melbourne: VCOSS.Google Scholar
Victorian Council of Social Service (1998), Strengthening Communities: DHS Youth and Family Service Redevelopment, Melbourne: VCOSS.Google Scholar
Victorian Family & Children’s Services Council (1992), Response to the Minister’s Request for Advice on Mandatory Reporting, Melbourne: VFCSC.Google Scholar
Vinson, T. (1999), Unequal in Life: the distribution of social disadvantage in Victoria and New South Wales, Melbourne: Jesuit Social Services.Google Scholar
Weeks, W. (1996), ‘State cuts set the scene for a storm’, The Age, 25 March.Google Scholar
Were, A. (1994), ‘Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse in Victoria: Impacts in Non-Govemment Services’, Newslink, June, 1–6.Google Scholar
Winkworth, G. (1997), ‘Mandatory Reporting in the ACT: Are We Ready?’, Australian Association of Social Workers ACT Newsletter.Google Scholar
Wiseman, J. (1992) ‘Development and Outcome of the Victorian Social Justice Statement’ in Considine, M. & Costar, B. (eds.) Trials in Power, Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 85–98.Google Scholar
Yallop, R. (1996), ‘Low morale drives child welfare crisis’. The Australian, 1 November.Google Scholar
Young, L., Baker, J. & Monnone, T. (1989), Poverty and Child Abuse in the Sydney Metropolitan Area, Sydney: Department of Family and Community Services.Google Scholar