Child Safety

Mr MILES (2.42 pm): My question is to the Minister for Child Safety. I table a letter from a family services worker which states— Despite these reports from various professionals, Child Safety appeared to take no meaningful action ... we let Hayley down, we let her unborn child down ... Can the minister explain why she failed to protect Hayley Malcolm, who tragically died? Tabled paper: Extract from letter, dated 27 December 2025, to the Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services and Hayley Malcom [390].afety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Hon. Amanda Camm, regarding the death of

Mr SPEAKER: I will ask you to repeat the question without the imputation.

Mr MILES: I refer to the letter I tabled earlier, which states— Despite these reports from various professionals, Child Safety appeared to take no meaningful action ... we let Hayley down, we let her unborn child down ... Can the minister explain why the child safety department failed to protect Hayley Malcolm, who tragically died?

Ms CAMM: I commence my response with this: any circumstance in which a child or young adult loses their life—whether it be through the tragic circumstances outlined in the case that the member opposite is quoting or where a child has had an interface or an interaction with the child safety system— is a true tragedy. We should always be very respectful and mindful that those children have family, friends and, in fact, also child safety officers, service providers and other people who work very closely day in, day out to protect their lives. We must ensure our dialogue and questioning is always done with humanity and with respect. The Leader of the Opposition would also be well versed in his understanding that under the Child Protection Act I cannot speak about any individual case, no matter the circumstances, because the legislation prohibits me from doing so.

Mr Bleijie: So do the standing orders prevent him from asking questions.

Ms CAMM: I will take that interjection from the honourable Deputy Premier. What I would say more broadly about the child safety system—and the commissioner who has undertaken the commission of inquiry on behalf of the government has placed it on the record—is that we inherited a broken system from those opposite after a decade of decline and a revolving door of child safety ministers.

To date, the commission of inquiry has received more than 1,000 submissions. I want to thank each and every organisation or person who has made a submission to the commission of inquiry in the interest of protecting children and fixing a broken child safety system. As late as this morning I met with Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership and former director-general Michael Hogan as they are formulating and finalising their submission to the commission of inquiry. I welcome that. In fact, I welcome submissions from anyone who has insight into this system—whether they are a frontline child safety officer, whether they are a non-government organisation that we partner with or whether they are our statutory bodies or peak bodies. I look forward to the outcomes of the commission of inquiry.