O`Farrell unrepentant over expulsion

NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell has been thrown out of parliament amid
concerns the government is reducing the ombudsman's scrutiny of the child protection
system.
The Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour, also expressed concerns about oversight for the
system, saying he believed state reforms announced this week would fall short of
achieving the highest standard.
Mr O'Farrell became the first NSW parliamentary leader since John Brogden in 2004 to
be thrown out of parliament and it came only three minutes into Thursday's question
time.
He had asked Premier Nathan Rees about why the ombudsman was being stripped of his
ability to review child deaths under the government's child protection reforms.
Frustrated by Mr Rees' response, he rose on a point of order, and when that was
rejected proceeded to disobey Speaker Richard Torbay's ruling that he sit back down.
Mr Torbay then asked sergeant-at-arms to remove Mr O'Farrell from the chamber.
In a press conference held in the 30 minutes before he had to leave Parliament House
grounds, Mr O'Farrell said Mr Rees failed to reveal he had stripped the ombudsman of
many of the powers to investigate the deaths of children known to the Department of
Community Services (DoCS).
He denied his ejection was premeditated or a stunt but said it would be worth it if
it brought attention to the issue.
"It's an absolute disgrace," Mr O'Farrell said.
"The premier claims to be protecting children, particularly those at risk of harm.
"Yet the legislation introduced strips the ombudsman of the ability to investigate
the deaths of children who had been notified to DoCS as being at risk of harm."
Mr O'Farrell said DoCS needed independent oversight and urged the Ombudsman to
publicly state if he was consulted about the changes.
Mr Barbour said former Supreme Court justice James Wood had made three key
recommendations for the oversight of the child protection system.
Justice Wood recommended the ombudsman only review significant deaths, and that
responsibility for other child death reviews be transferred to DoCS.
He also recommended the Child Death Review Team, presently overseen by the
Commissioner for Children and Young People, be brought into the office of the NSW
Ombudsman instead.
The last recommendation was not adopted by the government, Mr Barbour said.
"In my view, Justice Wood made three complementary recommendations," he told AAP.
"In failing to accept one of those recommendations, the quality of the Child Death
Review system will not meet the standard that Justice Wood was recommending."
Mr O'Farrell will be able to re-enter NSW Parliament House when it resumes on Friday
morning.