House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-05-30 Daily Xml

Contents

Oakden Mental Health Facility

Mr DULUK (Davenport) (15:19): Supplementary, sir: minister, why did you not instigate a review immediately after being told by the Principal Community Visitor in his letter of 14 October 2016 that Mr Robert Spriggs had subsequently passed way?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS (Taylor—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (15:19): I sought a briefing from the relevant local area health network. I have said that several times today. That is what a minister does in an appropriate set of settings. It also took a while for the briefing to come back to me because there were a number of matters that the CE of that health network had to undertake. What we now know is that, if it had not been for the Spriggs family and the Chief Psychiatrist being able to give them the space to tell their story and other families coming forward, we would not be at this space today and we would not be in the position to have the honest discussion we are now having.