{"id":26532,"date":"2026-07-03T12:26:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T12:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.joshteague.com.au\/?p=26532"},"modified":"2026-08-11T12:31:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T12:31:01","slug":"labors-cost-excuse-doesnt-add-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joshteague.com.au\/index.php\/2026\/07\/03\/labors-cost-excuse-doesnt-add-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Labor\u2019s cost excuse doesn\u2019t add up"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Labor\u2019s cost excuse doesn\u2019t add up<\/span> <\/h1> <\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t
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Labor’s justification for scrapping South Australia’s Social Worker Registration Scheme has been thrown into more doubt, after the Premier and his Child Protection Minister provided vastly different estimates of the scheme\u2019s annual registration fee.\u00a0<\/p>

According to\u00a0The Advertiser<\/em>,\u00a0Premier Peter Malinauskas claimed the\u00a0annual\u00a0fee could have been\u00a0“up to over $1,000”<\/strong>\u00a0when questioned by media yesterday morning.\u00a0<\/p>

However, Child Protection Minister Alice Rolls later said the\u00a0fee would\u00a0likely have\u00a0been\u00a0between $400 and $500<\/strong>, leaving South Australians with two\u00a0very different\u00a0figures.\u00a0<\/p>

Shadow Minister for Child Protection Laura Henderson said Labor had repeatedly relied on the cost of registration as its justification for abandoning the nation-leading reform.\u00a0<\/p>

“If the Government’s main reason for scrapping this\u00a0scheme\u00a0was the cost of registration, South Australians deserve to know which figure it actually relied upon,” Mrs Henderson said.\u00a0<\/p>

“The Premier says the fee could have been more than $1,000. His own Child Protection Minister says it would\u00a0likely have\u00a0been between $400 and $500. Both cannot be right.\u00a0<\/p>

“The Government owes social workers, stakeholders and Chloe Valentine’s family an explanation for these vastly different estimates.\u00a0<\/p>

“This reform was recommended following the coronial inquest into Chloe Valentine’s tragic death and was designed to strengthen professional standards and better protect vulnerable children.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Shadow Attorney-General Josh Teague said the conflicting cost estimates had further undermined confidence in the Government’s decision.\u00a0<\/p>

“Labor has consistently argued the scheme was too expensive for social workers, yet the Premier and his Minister can’t even agree on what the annual registration fee would have been,” Mr Teague said.\u00a0<\/p>

“The Premier should release the advice and modelling underpinning these cost estimates and explain why they differ so significantly.”\u00a0<\/p>

Background:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>

Audio and video<\/u>\u00a0highlighting the differing cost estimates from\u00a0the Premier and Child Protection Minister can be accessed\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

A\u00a0petition<\/u>\u00a0calling on the Government to reverse its decision to scrap the Social Worker Registration Scheme can be signed\u00a0here.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

The following is a\u00a0quote<\/u>\u00a0from then\u00a0Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard\u00a0in\u00a0April\u00a02024:\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cI am proud that South Australia is the first jurisdiction to progress its Social Worker Registration Scheme which will bring well-deserved benefits, respect and support to the social work profession.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t

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While State and Federal Labor Governments bicker over the bungled response to the toxic algal bloom, communities and industries continue to suffer.<\/p>

The sluggish response continued today with the Premier revealing that he\u2019s only recently made an appeal for algal bloom funding support \u201cin the last couple of days\u201d, while a visit from the Federal Minister for Environment is unlikely to bring any good news for those impacted.<\/p>

Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Josh Teague said the Premier is clearly out of his depth as his Ministers scramble to address the issue.<\/p>

\u201cLabor has bungled the algal bloom response from the outset, with total confusion and zero coordination with its federal counterparts on the relief industries and communities urgently need,” Mr Teague said.<\/p>

\u201cDespite the scale of this crisis, we\u2019ve seen an unacceptable lack of urgency from both State and Federal Governments.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cThe Premier even tried to distract the media with a press conference on an entirely different topic today, rather than tackling the matter head on.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re pleased to see Murray Watt take our advice to get off his arse and come to South Australia, but he shouldn\u2019t be shamed into visiting a natural disaster.\u201d<\/p>

Shadow Minister for Environment, David Basham added that the belated visit is a slap in the face for the communities and industries who\u2019ve been dealing with the toxic algal bloom for months.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m deeply concerned and frustrated by the environmental disaster unfolding along our coastline, particularly in my local electorate,\u201d Mr Basham said.<\/p>

\u201cThis isn\u2019t just an eyesore, it\u2019s a serious ecological threat, harming marine life, impacting local tourism, and jeopardising the livelihoods of those who rely on our waters.<\/p>

\u201cThis needs to be seen for the disaster that it is, and for meaningful support to be delivered yesterday, not once the Federal Minister deigns to visit.\u201d<\/p>

The State Liberal party is calling for:<\/p>

  • A Royal Commission to examine the potential causes, solutions and recommendations for managing future events.<\/li>
  • Clear, transparent communication with local residents and stakeholders.<\/li>
  • Immediate emergency funding for businesses impacted by the algal bloom, including hospitality, tourism and fisheries.<\/li>
  • Immediate emergency funding for councils to manage environmental response and cleanup.<\/li>
  • The Federal Government to declare a natural disaster.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t
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    The Government owes social workers, stakeholders and Chloe Valentine's family an explanation for these vastly different estimates.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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