Overview

• Families Minister Kate Washington tabled the Special Ministerial Inquiry report in parliament and said the lieutenant-governor removed Steve Kinmond under the Children’s Guardian Act.
• The inquiry found Kinmond intervened to grant a Working With Children Check against OCG legal advice and failed to declare a significant conflict of interest.
• Phone and message records showed 357 texts and 90 outbound calls totaling six hours and 22 minutes with the WWCC applicant during the assessment period.
• The report cited an undisclosed personal relationship with a senior industry consultant, a workplace deemed not psychologically safe, an "inept" response to an anonymous complaint, and the improper circulation of a sensitive letter to all staff.
• Rachael Ward is acting children’s guardian on an interim basis, the inquiry received nearly 100 submissions and heard from more than 70 current and former employees, and Kinmond rejects that he had a conflict and maintains his WWCC decision was lawful.