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Child protection

opinion
opinion
Gerry GeorgatosCommentsPremium
opinion
WA’s justice system lacks love and support

Does anyone think someone who could not afford $9.40 worth of food can suddenly manage $1000 in fines?

Gerry Georgatos

New twist VideoPremiumMadeleine McCann suspect had an alibi on night she vanished

The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has finally given a detailed alibi for the night the little girl vanished.

Vanessa Allen

Banksia HillPremiumKids form ‘suicide squad’ as detention conditions worsen

Conditions at Banksia Hill Detention Centre deteriorated so badly some children held there formed a “suicide squad” – with one detainee attempting to take their life five times in the space of a month.

Josh Zimmerman

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Funding pledgePremium
The West Australian exclusive
Scandal-plagued Banksia Hill to receive $25 million fix

The McGowan Government has promised $25.1 million to improve the problem-plagued Banksia Hill juvenile detention centre, two months after a judge slammed its ‘dehumanising treatment’ of a teenage offender.

Bethany Hiatt

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
‘inappropriate sexual behaviour’Premium
The West Australian exclusive
Teen gropers let off for assaults on private school girls

A group of young school boys who allegedly groped and indecently assaulted up to 30 girls at a school social event in Perth last year have avoided criminal charges.

Phil Hickey

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
‘Sleepless nights’
The West Australian exclusive
Husband’s fury at Communities worker’s treatment after raid

The husband of the Communities staffer who was raided by police over media leaks has opened up about the family’s distress following the events.

Annabel Hennessy

Family devastationPremium‘Can’t fathom his pain’: Support for dad of car fire victims

More than $20,000 has been raised for the grieving father of two children who died alongside their mother in a Coogee car fire last week.

Phil Hickey

Broken systemPremiumSickening family tragedies put spotlight on mental health

Mental health service providers have warned of a burgeoning mental health crisis in WA after two recent tragic murder-suicides involving parents taking the lives of their children.

Briana Fiore

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Further claimsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
CCC investigates more ‘serious misconduct’ at Communities

The Department of Communities has been directed by the CCC to investigate more allegations of serious misconduct levelled against two staff members by a group of anonymous whistleblowers.

Josh Zimmerman & Annabel Hennessy

‘Inaction and chaos’PremiumOpposition calls for McGurk to resign for ‘failing’ kids

Opposition leader Mia Davies has called for Community Services Minister Simone McGurk to resign over a police complaint made by her department. 

Briana Fiore

opinion
opinion
Gerry Georgatos CommentsPremium
opinion
How to turn around the lives of former WA inmates

I believe in radical approaches and ask people to have great expectations. We contextualise our lives and where there is grief, yes, we soak it up — but we must not drown.

Gerry Georgatos

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Leaked messagesPremium
The West Australian exclusive
‘Disillusioned, unheard’: Communities staff air grievances

WA Department of Communities staff have described feeling unheard and disillusioned in internal messages leaked to The West Australian.

Annabel Hennessy

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
‘Avoidance tactic’Premium
The West Australian exclusive
Ex-top cop Karl O’Callaghan slams raid on Aboriginal mum

Former Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has also sounded the alarm about problems with how Communities is running and says it is clear there are ‘insufficient resources at the case-worker level’.

Annabel Hennessy

opinion
opinion
Silence is deafeningPremium
opinion
Karl O’Callaghan: Something wrong inside Dept of Communities

Writing exclusively for The West Australian, the former top cop says he is horrified by the police raid on an Indigenous Department of Communities employee - and says State Government silence is just a tactic.

Karl O’Callaghan

‘I am ashamed’PremiumGovt adviser slams raid on Aboriginal worker as ‘appalling’

A social work expert who has previously advised the WA Department of Communities has spoken out against the police raid on an Aboriginal employee calling it ‘appalling’ and a reaction similar to a ‘drug raid’.

Annabel Hennessy

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Closing ranksCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Questions remain over who knew what in Communities raid

Mark McGowan and Simone McGurk have attempted to distance themselves from a police raid on the home of an Aboriginal employee from the Department of Communities, but questions remain.

Annabel Hennessy

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
‘Major concern’ Premium
The West Australian exclusive
Government silence over who ordered Indigenous employee raid

Police stormed the home of an Indigenous Department of Communities employee to try and find who leaked documents exposing racism within it - but no one wants to talk about who asked for the intimidating raid.

Annabel Hennessy and Briana Fiore

‘police state’PremiumOpposition slams police raid on Aboriginal mum’s home

The Opposition has called for a probe into why police raided the home of an Aboriginal Department of Communities employee, in an attempt to find out who leaked documents exposing a ‘toxic and racist’ culture.

Briana Fiore

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
‘Designed to intimidate’Premium
The West Australian exclusive
Aboriginal mum’s home raided over leaks exposing govt racism

The WA Department of Communities had police raid the home of one of their own Indigenous employees in an attempt to uncover who leaked documents exposing racism within the organisation.

Annabel Hennessy

‘Heinous breach’ PremiumChild agency hits out at atrocious treatment of teen

Save the Children Australia has slammed the McGowan Government over its treatment of a teenage boy who spent 79 days in solitary confinement at Banksia Hill, calling for an overhaul of the justice system.

Emily Moulton

opinion
opinion
Editorial CommentsPremium
opinion
Why our broken communities need urgent attention

Something is clearly very wrong with how the State attends to the needs of our most vulnerable.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
shocking revelations Premium
The West Australian exclusive
Pregnant, homeless and stuck living with a sexual predator

A WA child protection worker was left to plead with an external Aboriginal advocacy group to try to get housing for a pregnant woman who was living in a property that was being visited by a sexual predator.

Annabel Hennessy

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Leaked reportPremium
The West Australian exclusive
The shocking rate of kids in care getting shifted around

Children in WA’s out of home care system are being shuffled between different case workers as often as every three months, a leaked report has revealed.

Annabel Hennessy

opinion
opinion
Juvenile detention CommentsPremium
opinion
Why the Banksia Hill detention centre shows change is needed

Why are we investing in bricks and mortar — child prisons — and in prison guards when we should be investing in social care workers, outreach and psychosocial supports?

Gerry Georgatos