Select Committee Inquiry into Weeroona Girls' Training Centre (1965)

The Select Committee Inquiry took place in the aftermath of a Public Service Commissioner's investigation into allegations against the Principal at Weeroona. It related to just one of the allegations, that the Principal had overused the secure unit. The Director of the Social Welfare Department, GC Smith, told WA Neilson, the Minister for Education, acting for the Chief Secretary, that the unit had closed on the 3 July following the release of the allegations. The reason for closure was not the allegations, but insufficient staff to run the unit. This led Neilson to provide that date in answer to a question asked in the House of Assembly.

However, the Principal, having found a staff member to sleep in the unit, kept it open at night until 14 July, although the girls living there had resumed their normal activities within the home. This led Kevin Lyons, the MHA for Braddon who had released the initial allegations, to suggest that Smith had deliberately attempted to mislead Parliament. He put forward the motion to appoint the Select Committee.

It found that Neilson had made an 'honest error' and that the secure unit had been used in a limited way without Smith's knowledge until 14 July.

The Committee produced a report entitled Weeroona Girls' Home: accuracy and/or veracity of answer to question asked in the House of Assembly.