Western Australia’s Department of Communities, specifically its Child Protection division, is under intense scrutiny following recent revelations concerning the deaths of the Hawke children. Attorney-General Tony Buti has overruled a coroner’s initial decision not to hold an inquest into the case, citing the emergence of substantial new evidence that meets the threshold for such proceedings.

The evidence was reportedly sourced from within the Department of Communities and local police, though the exact origins and timing of this information remain unclear. Buti described the new findings as “heartbreaking,” suggesting their significant weight in understanding the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The department’s sudden disclosure of this material has raised questions about its previous handling and transparency.

Premier Roger Cook has defended the department’s leadership, reaffirming his confidence in Director-General Mike Rowe despite the ongoing controversies. However, senior Aboriginal community members have expressed vocal concerns about the department’s failure to protect children placed in potentially dangerous situations, highlighting systemic issues in child welfare.

The department has faced a string of challenges over recent years. In early 2022, it pursued an Aboriginal caseworker accused of improperly leaking documents that allegedly exposed internal racism and failures in meeting child protection targets. The so-called Dr Westerman Report, authored by clinical psychologist Tracy Westerman, identified systemic mistreatment of Aboriginal staff within the department. A separate consultant report found that the department was falling short in supporting Aboriginal families safely. Despite referring the caseworker to police, the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to pursue charges, citing the public interest. Following this, a public sector investigation was initiated but ultimately led to advice from the Corruption and Crime Commission that the department must address its internal systemic problems.

Tragically, in late 2022, Margaret Hawke killed her children, despite ongoing concerns raised by police up to eight days before the incident warning of imminent harm. The forthcoming coronial inquest aims to examine why these warnings had not led to decisive interventions. The department continues to face criticism regarding its management of vulnerable children across the state. In 2023, child protection workers staged protests over inadequate resources, reporting that around 1,000 cases lacked an assigned child protection officer.

Further questions remain about the department’s inability to explain why 15 Aboriginal children were found living unsupervised in deplorable conditions at Friesby Court in Port Hedland. Allegations of sexual abuse in the nearby region of Isonin Close have also raised alarm within the local community, with no clear measures yet reported to address these concerns.

The department’s structural complexity has been a longstanding issue since its creation in 2017 under former Premier Mark McGowan, which merged child protection with other social services such as housing and disability programs. This consolidation has been criticised for diluting the focus and resources available for child welfare. Minister Jessica Stojkovski, the third child protection minister within a few years, has faced criticism over the department’s failures but has kept Director-General Rowe largely out of the spotlight. Stojkovski recently announced a new “assurance review” of the department, signaling a search for renewed confidence in its operations.

The challenges confronting Western Australia’s child protection system underscore concerns about its capacity to safeguard vulnerable children, particularly within indigenous communities, amid ongoing calls for structural reform and greater accountability.