Letter to the Editor

“An Abuse of Power”

“Child abuse line barely coping” (SMH, March 2) does not tell the public what it really is entitled to know. Is this new mandatory system frightening the life out of everyone to the point they are reporting anything that vaguely resembles a child protection matter? Or have we yet another child abuse epidemic on our hands?

What is not explained in this DOCS marketing exercise designed to justify he call center is how much money is being spent on intervention and how much on social support. Or does this cleverly disguised research strategy actually have some qualitative benefit for the abused children, rather than being just about quantitatively measured performance management?

Michael Kennedy,
NSW Council for Civil Liberties,
Glebe

SMH, 5 March 2001