Western Australia's Department of Education and Training failed to adequately investigate complaints made against it, a report has found.
Western Australia's Department of Education and Training failed to adequately investigate complaints made against it, a report has found.
State Ombudsman Deirdre O'Donnell today released the report into the DET's complaints management processes, making a number of recommendations.
An extensive investigation was begun in 2004 and covered a range of complaints the Ombudsman received from parents and teachers.
The department's organisational culture was not fair and accessible to anyone wanting to complain, meaning complaints on similar matters recurred, the report found.
Ms O'Donnell made five recommendations - response to complaints about teacher conduct, risk assessment, guidelines for departmental officers to respond to complaints, develop guidelines in relation to any teacher transferred because of allegations of complaints or conduct and provide information to all stakeholders.
The Ombudsman's report comes three weeks after the WA Corruption and Crime Commission released a damming report into the way the DET dealt with allegations of sexual misconduct by teachers.
The WA opposition called for Premier Alan Carpenter to sack the Education Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich but she refused to take any responsibility for the report, saying she did not know what was contained in the report until just before it was released.
DET director-general Paul Albert resigned less than 12 hours after the reports release.
Ms Ravlich today welcomed the release of the report, saying it was constructive and the recommendations would help strengthen the handling of complaints.
"The findings add weight to the recommendations of the Corruption and Crime Commission report," Ms Ravlich said.
Ms Ravlich named Justice Neville Owen, a senior judge of the Court of Appeal of the WA Supreme Court, to oversee major changes to the department's the Complaints Management Unit.
Opposition spokesman for education Peter Collier said the report was another nail in Ms Ravlich's coffin.
"This report is yet another nail in the coffin for Ljiljanna Ravlich who has overseen a dark period in the history of our education system where the safety of our children at schools is not paramount," Mr Collier said.
An announcement from the Minister's office is pasted below
Education and Training Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich today announced the appointment of Justice Neville Owen to oversee major changes to her department's Complaints Management Unit.
His Honour Justice Owen, 59, is the senior judge of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Western Australia and completed a two-year Royal Commission into the collapse of the HIH Insurance Group.
Ms Ravlich said the Government was moving swiftly to adopt the six key recommendations of the Corruption and Crime Commission report into the handling of sexual misconduct complaints in the school system.
"Justice Owen's appointment as an independent person to oversee the strengthening of the Complaints Management Unit would help build public confidence in the department," she said.
"Justice Owen has had a particular interest in and association with the education system.
"He has been the chair of the governing body of three different secondary schools and is the Chancellor of the University of Notre Dame Australia."
The Minister welcomed a report released today by the Ombudsman into the department's complaints management processes.
"The findings add weight to the recommendations of the Corruption and Crime Commission report," she said.
"The Ombudsman's report is constructive and the suggested framework for complaints management will help to strengthen the handling of investigations."
Ms Ravlich also announced the appointment of three key people to help bolster the complaints unit.
"Detective Inspector Trevor Porter will head the new Professional Standards Directorate as the acting Executive Director reporting to Acting Director General Sharyn O'Neill," she said.
"A policeman for 30 years, Inspector Porter has extensive experience in areas such as internal affairs, ethics and standards, managing discipline, tracking misconduct and standards development.
"Professor Lance Twomey will investigate best practice complaints management models and methodologies both nationally and internationally.
"Professor Twomey was Vice-Chancellor of Curtin University of Technology from April 1997 to his retirement from the position in July 2006."
Ms Ravlich said the Police Commissioner had also agreed to a member of the Child Protection Squad being seconded to the department to strengthen work in the specific area of dealing with sexual contact between staff and students.
"Senior Sergeant Gordon Fairman has been with the WA Police for 19 years and is currently State Co-ordinator of Family Protection," she said.
"He heads the police response to family violence and child protection and has been an investigator with the Child Protection Unit and the Sexual Assault Squad."
The Minister said detailed feedback would be provided to the CCC and the Ombudsman as their recommendations were implemented.
