Resolutions

Elder Abuse

Consideration of message No. 156 from the House of Assembly concerning the appointment of a joint committee on matters relating to elder abuse in South Australia.

(Continued from 21 September 2016.)

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (21:53): I move:

That the Legislative Council concur with the resolution of the House of Assembly, contained in message 156, for the appointment of a joint committee on matters relating to elder abuse in South Australia, that the Legislative Council be represented on the joint committee by three members of whom two shall form the quorum necessary to be present at all sittings of the committee, and that the members of the joint committee to represent the Legislative Council be the Hon. J.M. Gazzola, the Hon. S.G. Wade and the mover.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (21:54): The government is pleased to support this motion. I thank the member for Fisher, Ms Nat Cook, and the Hon. Kelly Vincent for bringing forward this motion. The state government, through the Office for the Ageing, has been actively implementing the strategy and action plan to safeguard the rights of older South Australians 2015 to 2021.

In many respects, South Australia leads the nation in its work to safeguard the rights of older people, but there is still much more to be done. The Office for the Ageing, in partnership with non-government organisations, universities and older South Australians, has achieved some significant actions under the strategy. Key actions include:

in October 2015, launching the Stop Elder Abuse public awareness campaign to raise community awareness about this important issue, and in June 2016 the campaign targeted workers and professionals in the health, legal and financial sectors who are often in a position to notice signs, or can do something to help;

the pilot Elder Abuse Prevention Phone Line Support and Referral Service commenced in October 2015, and has received over 250 phone calls so far, many from concerned family or friends, or from older people themselves;

to ensure older people know and understand their rights under existing laws, and where to go for more information, Knowing Your Rights—A Guide to the Rights of Older South Australians booklet was launched by the Minister for Ageing in April. This booklet has been very popular with older people, and over 20,000 copies have been printed, with many more copies being downloaded from the website;

establishing the first Stop Elder Abuse website, a one-stop shop for information about elder abuse aimed at the community, workers and professionals; and

in partnership with the UniSA, OFTA is conducting research into the prevalence of elder abuse in South Australia so we have better information on the amount of the abuse.

It is estimated that one in 20 older Australians experience some form of financial, emotional, physical, neglect and even sexual abuse from someone they trust, often a family member. Sadly, we know the abuse of older people is not isolated to a single incident or to aged care; this may only be the tip of the iceberg. Noleen Hausler has helped put a spotlight on this issue, and I thank her for her courage in bringing this often hidden topic out into the open.

The prevention, recognition and response to the abuse of older people is everyone's business. We all have a role to play. Older South Australians have rights, no matter where they live. Older people have the right to be respected and valued, the right to dignity, and to be safe and to be kept safe by others if they cannot do this for themselves. I urge you to support this motion. Elder abuse in any form must not be tolerated.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (21:57): I rise on behalf of the Liberal team to support this motion. I think it is appropriate to recognise the fact that this motion is the reaffirmation of a motion the Hon. Kelly Vincent moved in this house last year, and it was a referral to the Social Development Committee. My understanding is that the reason why this motion has come forward is that, in the context of the work program of the Social Development Committee, it was considered that a joint select committee was an opportunity to expedite the consideration of these matters, and we welcome that opportunity.

In fact, it is literally one year and five days since I spoke in support of the Hon. Kelly Vincent's motion on behalf of the Liberal team, and as the Hon. John Gazzola has reminded us, one significant event that has occurred in the last year has been the public awareness of the case of Noleen Hausler. So, I do not propose to restate my commitment, and the Liberal team's commitment and concern for elder abuse, but to mention as an update the significant public awareness that has arisen through the case of Noleen Hausler.

It has been my privilege to meet with Ms Hausler, and to hear about her experience, which was truly harrowing. Her father was 89, with dementia. He experienced physical and mental abuse in residential aged care. Ms Hausler found that her concerns were dismissed by management, and she felt so frustrated that she resorted to the use of a video camera. The perpetrator was, in due course, brought to justice after some delays. It is concerning to look at the course of the case since then in terms of the relatively short period of time that the person involved spent in custody.

The aim of Ms Hausler is that we look again at the implications of the Privacy Act of 1997, and policies relating to residential aged care, to the extent that they prohibit the use of video cameras in private rooms. Her aim is to change the regulations to streamline and ensure that any vulnerable person, regardless of age or health, has a right to safety by installing a surveillance camera in their room by their legal guardian or primary advocate. I think the broadness of that aim is noteworthy.

Whenever we are talking about elder abuse, very similar issues arise when we discuss the issue of the abuse of people with disabilities. I would acknowledge and appreciate the fact that Ms Hausler has expressed her aims in terms of vulnerable people, regardless of age or health. As the Hon. Kelly Vincent often reminds us, Australians with disabilities suffer a disproportionately high level of abuse, and that needs to be addressed.

Ms Hausler has established a change.org site, which currently has more than 43,000 supporters. As I said, her bravery in confronting the abuse she saw her father being subjected to and, even beyond that, her bravery in taking this issue into the public domain, is to be greatly respected. It has already done a great service, in my view, in raising community awareness of aged abuse, and I certainly hope and pray that it may lead to positive changes that might protect more Australians from suffering the abuse that her father experienced.

With those few words, on behalf of the Liberal team, I support the motion and look forward to working with the Hon. John Gazzola, the Hon. Kelly Vincent and other members of the joint committee to see if we can make a further contribution to what is a very important issue.

Motion carried.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (22:02): I move:

That it be an instruction to the joint committee that the joint committee be authorised to disclose or publish as it thinks fit any evidence or documents presented to the joint committee prior to such evidence or documents being reported to the parliament.

Motion carried.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I move:

That the Legislative Council standing order 396 be suspended to enable strangers to be admitted when the joint committee is examining witnesses, unless the joint committee otherwise resolves, but they shall be excluded when the joint committee is deliberating.

Motion carried.