(38k)Transcript
22 September 2009
Interview with Marius Benson, ACT Newsradio
E&OE PROOF ONLY
SUBJECTS: Centrelink’s In Touch program
MARIUS BENSON: Chris Bowen, it appears to be confirmed that Centrelink was involved in providing this contact between two criminals involved in a crime in the past against children.
CHRIS BOWEN: I am very concerned about these reports. I’ve asked for a thorough review of this program. This program that is run by Centrelink, helps people get back in contact with people who they have lost contact with, and has been in operation for several years and does help several thousands of people a year. But obviously I’m concerned that it could be used for this purpose and I won’t be agreeing to its reinstatement until I can be satisfied that this won’t occur again.
BENSON: The whole program is suspended right now?
BOWEN: Yes, the program has been suspended. Centrelink won’t be putting anyone else in contact with other people, until and unless, both I and the Chief Executive of Centrelink can be satisfied that this sort of instance can’t re-occur.
BENSON: What do you know about this instance so far? What information has been given to you?
BOWEN: Well look, the information in the newspaper, that has been widely reported on; that’s broadly accurate. There has been, as I say, this program has been in place for years; it enables people who have lost contact with friends and relatives to try and re-establish contact. The person who is contacted is under no obligations to take up the offer; it let’s them know that somebody else is looking for them, they choose to take that up. That’s something that is useful in our society and it’s something that I have been asked about by people, as I move about the community: can Centrelink help me find my long lost daughter, etc?
So it is something that does provide a useful service to the community. The Salvation Army, for example, does use it very regularly in their efforts to link people up who have lost contact with each other. But obviously everybody would be very concerned that this particular incident shouldn’t occur again.
BENSON: Are there safeguards in this In Touch program to ensure that criminal contacts like this can’t be made? Has something gone wrong or were there simply no safeguards there?
BOWEN: Well look this is what the review is all about - to establish what did go wrong, in this particular instance, and to establish what further safeguards, or consultation, might need to occur with law and order authorities about individuals; and what we need to put in place so we can be as satisfied, as we reasonably can be, that this sort of instance can’t re-occur.
BENSON: This case has stirred extreme emotions. One of the men has been placed in housing in NSW, to the [inaudible] of people living nearby. Do you regard it as a serious breach by Centrelink?
BOWEN: Well obviously I am very concerned about it. I was very concerned about it when I learnt about it last evening and I thoroughly agree with the decision to suspend this program, and I will be very interested in the results of the review. I do regard it as a very serious matter.
BENSON: How soon do you think you’ll have those results?
BOWEN: We won’t be rushing it, because we do need to ensure that it is thorough, and as I say, this is a program which does help a lot of people. So we won’t be rushing it, but we won’t be dawdling either. We will deal it with thoroughly and appropriately, and when it’s ready, that’s when we will make further announcements about the future of the program.
BENSON: While that inquiry is underway, are you saying that the whole of the In Touch program will be suspended?
BOWEN: Yes, that’s correct. That’s correct. The In Touch program is suspended and I don’t think we could take the risk that this would occur again, until we are thoroughly satisfied that everything is in place to ensure that the chances of this occurring again are very minimal.
BENSON: Do you have any information that anything resulted from this contact?
BOWEN: No, I don’t and that’s a matter for other authorities. My responsibility would be to ensure that Centrelink is not putting convicted criminals in touch with each other.
BENSON: Do you know whether this is an isolated incident or whether it has happened in similar circumstances, with these two men, or others?
BOWEN: There are thousands of people who use this program every year, so there is always a risk when you have people using this program that something like this may happen. I’m not aware of any other incidents of this nature, but that’s not to say that they may or may not have occurred in the past. I certainly haven’t been advised of any.
BENSON: Chris Bowen, thank you very much.
BOWEN: Great pleasure.
Ends
Note
- To view PDF documents you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.