Department to take over hostel control

State Parliament has passed legislation to transfer control of country high school hostels to the WA Department of Education following recommendations made in the wake of the Katanning hostel sexual abuse tragedy.

The School Boarding Facilities Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2016 was a response to the recommendations of the Blaxell Inquiry, tabled in 2012, which investigated allegations of sexual abuse in schools and hostels after the conviction of serial paedophile Dennis McKenna, who abused children at the St Andrew’s Hostel in Katanning from 1975-1990.

The State Government will implement four of the five recommendations made by retired Supreme Court judge Peter Blaxell in his report.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, November 9, WA Premier Colin Barnett said advice from relevant agencies suggested the Blaxell recommendation for a “one-stop shop” or children’s commissioner to handle abuse reporting would result in less reporting. “That is why we didn’t proceed with it,” he said.

The transfer of control to the Department of Education has once again raised questions over potential uses for the disused Katanning hostel building.

Albany MLA Peter Watson said it would be best for the Katanning community to make any decision as to uses of the building.

“I think if they were going to use the building it would have to be something positive for the community because it was so negative when it was there,” he said.

“It would be good for the community to decide together and the Government should listen to the community and what they want to do.”

Mr Watson said it would be very unlikely the site would be used as a high school hostel again.

In July, Shire of Katanning chief executive Julian Murphy said the Shire would support any moves by the State to reactivate the residential college.

“It is a very under-utilised resource — it could be a lot of different things,” he said.