Chief Psychiatrist

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:37): Supplementary question: I appreciate that I may have misread the act, so I welcome the minister double-checking but, whether or not the requirement is there, will the minister give an undertaking that, if the Chief Psychiatrist does give him or his successors a special report other than an annual report, he will follow the statutory tabling requirements that relate to the annual report?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (14:37): That is something I will have to take on notice. The reason I say that—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: —and I understand the context of the Hon. Mr Wade's question—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, please sit down for one minute. Not only is that annoying, honourable Leader of the Government, but it is also rude. I prefer you to allow the minister to finish his answer without any interjection.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: The issue being that the Chief Psychiatrist may be commissioned by the government to undertake a report on a matter relating to an individual patient or an individual circumstance that necessarily requires confidentiality. I can think of one instance where that has taken place at the request of a patient or their family.

So, we have to balance those competing interests. I am happy to take advice on a situation where the Chief Psychiatrist provides a special report that is general in nature, in the same way that any report is, and our ability to table that. If there is no impediment to do so, that would be a decision that I would have thought would be taken up.