A prominent child protection advocate has accused the South Australian premier of breaking a promise, after his department refused to release the findings of a review into the deaths of two children.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the first name and image of a person who has died, as well as content some may find distressing.
Belinda Valentine, whose granddaughter Chloe died in 2012 after suffering horrific neglect and physical abuse, said she found it "shocking" that the SA government had refused an ABC freedom of information request for a copy of a 2022 report by former SA Police Commissioner Mal Hyde.
"You need to stand by your word Mr Premier and do better," she said.
The state government has told the ABC it is prepared to release the Hyde review "as soon as it is legally able to".
Mr Hyde's review examined the "multiple government agencies" involved with the families of six-year-old Charlie and seven-year-old Makai prior to their deaths that year.
Charlie died when her body shut down from severe malnourishment, while Makai died of pneumonia and sepsis three days after he was first brought to a GP.
The government released Mr Hyde's recommendations four years ago, but his full report has never surfaced.
Premier Peter Malinauskas previously said releasing the document could compromise SA Police's investigations into the children's deaths.
"To be frank, that is regrettable from my perspective because I believe there are a number of elements from the Hyde review that are very instructive for the government and I think are worthy of public consumption," he told reporters in November 2022.
"I committed to releasing the Hyde review publicly, that is a commitment I stand by and will be honoured.
SA Police told the ABC it has since concluded its investigations, with major crime investigators now preparing a report for the coroner.
Charlie's mother, Crystal Hanley, and Makai's father, Shane Wanganeen, are currently serving jail terms for the criminal neglect of their children.
Review 'languishing' as a cabinet document
In July, the ABC lodged a freedom of information request for a copy of Mr Hyde's review.
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet's CEO Rick Persse refused the request, citing several reasons, including that the document "consists of information that has been specifically prepared for submission to Cabinet (whether or not it has been so submitted)".
Mr Persse also told the ABC the review contained "matter the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to prejudice the maintenance or enforcement of any procedure for protecting public safety".
Ms Valentine, who has become a prominent child protection advocate in the years since her granddaughter's death, described the arguments as "ridiculous".
"It was shocking to find out, only through a FOI request, that the Mal Hyde review has been languishing as a confidential cabinet document for years now, with the government having no intention of making it public, after emphatically stating it was a matter of public interest to release it," she said.
Opposition child protection spokesperson Laura Henderson said there was "no reason" why the government could not release the document given the police investigations had concluded.
"Transparency is not optional in a system entrusted with the safety of children — it is essential," she said.
"We can't afford for the Hyde review to continue sitting on the government's shelf collecting dust."
Government waiting on coronial process to release review
A state government spokesperson said they were prepared to release the Hyde report as soon as "all legal processes have been completed, including any coroner's inquiry".
They said the coroner's office told the government on Wednesday that it was still waiting for final police reports to determine whether to hold a coronial inquest.
"The South Australian government will immediately release the Hyde report as soon as it is legally able to," the spokesperson said.
