NSW: Children's Guardian without powers after 15 months
New South Wales's first Children's Guardian still hasn't got the legal powers neededto do her job 15 months after being appointed.
The Sydney Morning Herald says the state government has failed four times to proclaimthe required sections of legislation that was passed in 1998.
The paper says guardian LINDA MALLET has a $2.6 million budget, a staff of about 18and is supposed to be responsible for 8,000 children in state care.
It says morale in the office is plummeting and staff are running out of work.
University of Sydney law professor PATRICK PARKINSON, who helped write the state'schild protection law, has criticised the delay, calling it outrageous
Mr PARKINSON says there is no indication of when Ms MALLET'S substantive functions might start.
Community Services Minister FAYE LO PO' says a decision about proclamation will bemade closer to July.
Ms LO PO' says her overriding concern is that everyone is ready and the implementation is right.
AAP RTV pw/psm/
KEYWORD: GUARDIAN (SYDNEY)
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