House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-05-17 Daily Xml

Contents

Oakden Mental Health Facility

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:54): Does the minister realise that the statement that she has just made to the house is in direct contravention to a specific reference made by the Chief Psychiatrist in his Oakden report, and can she explain the difference in policy and philosophy?

The SPEAKER: Perhaps it would have been helpful if the leader would phrase the question so as to include the statement.

Mr MARSHALL: With your leave and that of the house, sir, I will read this very short one sentence.

The SPEAKER: Yes.

Mr MARSHALL: Thank you, sir. I quote from the Oakden report, page 29, paragraph 3: 'the Review does not accept the view [that] Tier 7 services can be provided by the Non-Government Sector'.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS (Taylor—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (14:54): To my knowledge, I haven't actually contradicted myself there. What I have said is that the people who will be moved into the Northgate facility are the people most in need of our support in this state. I did not comment on whether they were tier 6 or tier 7, and I said that I would have to seek the guidance of the clinicians about that. It is not my job to make inquiries into individual consumers' or residents' medical records and their standing in their wellbeing—

Mr Duluk interjecting:

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: —that is a matter for the clinicians.

The SPEAKER: The member for Davenport is called to order.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: But I rely on their advice about who is appropriate to move to the Northgate facility and take residency there and form a new home life there with the support of their family and friends. Those people who are well enough to go to the private sector will go to the private sector.