Personal Explanation

Minister's Remarks

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (17:59): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

Ms COOK: It is a privilege to hear people's stories and to be entrusted with their cries for help. In 1989, I first registered as a nurse here in South Australia, and my first paid job was working with people with severe disabilities at the Julia Farr Centre, now known as Highgate Park. Over three decades I have been trusted by people who are vulnerable to do my very best to keep them safe, to protect them and ensure that they get the best possible outcomes at what is often the worst time of their lives.

Now, as a member of parliament, as a shadow member for disabilities, every day I receive calls from people who are in crisis. The reasons are not always the same, the stories are often heartbreaking and the solutions are complex and challenging. We as parliamentarians must do our best to get solutions fast, but sometimes the victims are scared and the families are worried. We do all we can to protect both them and their stories.

The SPEAKER: Member for Hurtle Vale, are you claiming to be misrepresented?

Ms COOK: I am telling you right now.

The SPEAKER: You are getting to that?

Ms COOK: Right now. I was made aware of serious allegations regarding a sexual assault of a disabled person in care. I wrote directly to the Minister for Human Services on 18 October 2018. The minister responded specifically to this letter on 15 November. I have done everything I can to protect this person and her family's dignity and identity and to make sure that those concerns would be investigated promptly. Every step of the way, I made sure that they knew that this was being followed up by not just the minister but by the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner, which is the appropriate pathway.

Today, in the Legislative Council, the minister told the council that I had not given her any client names, when, contrary to that, not only was this done but I gave full details of the incident, with information about what had happened since, with the consent of the next of kin. Having raised that also with the Health and Community Complaints Commissioner, this information has been passed on. Today, the minister was asked about this and she denied having any information. Not only is that misleading but it is unfair and untrue.