- Cook Labor Government appoints highly experienced board director and executive management professional Janelle Marr as Senior Coordinator for the Pilbara
- Senior Coordinator will lead multiagency response, oversee interagency meetings and ensure clear escalation pathways and accountability to keep children safe
- Ms Marr will report directly to Child Protection Minister Jessica Stojkovski
The Cook Labor Government has appointed Janelle Marr to the position of Senior Coordinator for the multiagency response for children at risk in the Pilbara reporting directly to the Child Protection Minister.
The State Government has set up weekly interagency meetings to ensure State agencies, Local Government and local Aboriginal controlled organisations are working together collaboratively to keep local children safe.
Ms Marr will lead these meetings to ensure agencies are working together and there are clear escalation pathways to the Child Protection Minister for cases identified as at risk.
Ms Marr has more than 25 years’ leadership experience at board and executive level, providing strategy, governance and transformation advice across a broad range of industries and sectors.
Her background includes roles that have worked directly in support of Indigenous health and safety outcomes across government and community service organisations.
Ms Marr is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Governance Institute of Australia. She holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts.
The Cook Labor Government, following consultation with the local community is delivering a range of measures in Port Hedland to support children at risk including:
- a progressive expansion of the Safe Night Space in Port Hedland from three nights to seven nights a week;
- appointing the WA Chief Practitioner to directly oversee child safety investigations and intensive family support cases in Port Hedland with a focus on complex and outstanding cases; and
- deployment of additional senior specialist child protection staff to the Pilbara, with staffing levels to be closely monitored and further resources added as needed.
The Senior Coordinator role will assist in establishing longer-term functions and processes for interagency activity in promoting child safety.
As stated by Child Protection Minister Jessica Stojkovski:
“Janelle Marr is a highly qualified and respected leadership professional who will bring immense experience and deep knowledge to the role of Senior Coordinator.
“Ms Marr has a proven track record of leading real change in service delivery.
“The position of Senior Coordinator will be influential in setting out the framework to ensure government agencies and community service partners are maximising their resources to deliver intensive supports to where they are needed most.”
As stated by Pilbara Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
“Child safety is a whole of Government and community responsibility.
“The Senior Coordinator will provide critical co-ordination across Government and Aboriginal controlled organisations.
“This is not only keeping children safe but ensuring they are thriving.”
