· Labor shuts out Opposition from visiting Toowoomba Child Safety centres
· What are Annastacia Palaszczuk and her Child Safety Minister hiding about Toowoomba’s child safety system?
· Labor’s refusal to grant access to Child Safety Centres follows $300,000 budget cut to Toowoomba North and Toowoomba South Child Safety Centres.

The Palaszczuk Labor Government continues its closed door policy on child safety after again refusing Shadow Child Safety Minister Ros Bates access to visit regional child safety centres.

After writing to Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman on the 8 November to request visits to both Toowoomba North Child Safety Centre and Toowoomba South Child Safety Centre, Ms Bates was told she wouldn’t be welcome to visit on this date.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk claims to run an open and transparent government yet as soon as her Child Safety Minister’s under pressure, she shuts down any scrutiny of regional child safety centres,” Ms Bates said.

“What is Labor hiding and why won’t they allow the Opposition to speak to child safety staff and view these critical frontline services?

“After giving plenty of notice to the Government, you have to wonder why they’re closing the blinds.

“As a Shadow Minister, I’m responsible for holding this Government to account and ensuring everything is being done to protect our most vulnerable children.

Ms Bates said Labor’s refusal to grant access to the region’s Child Safety Centres followed revelations that Labor had cut the budgets for both the Toowoomba North and Toowoomba South Child Safety Centres.

“Despite ballooning caseloads and several high-profile deaths of children known to child safety, Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman has chosen to cut $300,000 from Toowoomba’s child safety budget.

“I’ll continue to push for honesty and transparency from this government about a system that must work to protect Queensland’s most vulnerable children.”