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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-18 Daily Xml
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Personal Explanation

MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS, HEATWAVE DEATHS

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (16:11): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The deputy leader indicates that she is happy for the minister to do so. The convention is to wait until somebody has spoken. However, in the circumstances, the minister seeks leave to make a personal explanation on the grounds that she claims to have been misrepresented.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: The member is misrepresenting the case. It is quite well known that the unexpected deaths that occurred during the recent heatwave were referred to the Coroner. We know that that has occurred, so to suggest that we had not proceeded in that manner is incorrect and misleading. Everybody knows—it was in the newspaper and it was public knowledge—that unusual deaths during that period were referred to the Coroner. In addition, I think it is somewhat misleading for the public. I know that the deputy leader likes the dramatic turn of phrase; a bit like 'national inquiry' headlines, 'Baby abducted by'—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

Ms CHAPMAN: On a point of order, it is clearly beyond explanation.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The minister is entering into debate.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The minister is entering into debate. The minister can state only the facts in response to the issue of claiming to be personally misrepresented.

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: Where there are patients who are taking a multitude of drugs and there is an adverse impact by whatever means for whatever reason, it is quite proper that that matter should be investigated. But, to mislead the relatives and friends of those individuals is, I think, reprehensible, because—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: —there may well be an unavoidable incident, and I think it can be very distressing for relatives.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The minister is straying, and she can use other opportunities for providing that additional information. The deputy leader.

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