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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-06-17 Daily Xml
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Pearce, Ms D.A.

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (14:54): My question again is to the Premier. Has the Premier been made aware of the death of Debra Ann Pearce in state care? With your leave and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Ms COOK: Debra Ann Pearce was a 62-year-old resident of a Pooraka state government disability support accommodation. She died in hospital on 9 May 2020 following an incident in the state care facility on 1 May 2020. As a result of her death, a formal complaint was lodged about the circumstances leading to Ms Pearce's death. This has now prompted a departmental investigation.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:54): I will take that on notice and get back to the member specifically in relation to advice from the Minister for Human Services and any action that has been taken in that regard and provide an answer back to the member.

I make the point at this stage, if I may, that I'm responsible as the minister for a number of agencies that overlap and account to me, including the Coroner and the Public Advocate. I have advised the house before, and I think it's an important matter to remember, that I receive a number of memos and advices and briefings, sometimes daily but many each week, in relation to people who for one reason or another are under state care, not necessarily just receiving a disability service but who may be under a guardianship order, and in a circumstance where they may die or be seriously injured, then frequently I am promptly briefed in relation to those matters.

As you would know, Mr Speaker, and I'm sure the member would recall, in relation to the Coroner's responsibility there are certain mandatory inquiries they need to make in relation to certain deaths by definition, including deaths in custody, and the deaths in custody, of course, relating to prisons and police custody in particular—some in youth detention—which is covered by the department of health services. So, there are a number of different aspects in relation to those that require a level of both notice and response. In relation to the death of the person identified, I will get some information for the member.

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