❓ Opposition questions the Premier regarding the consultation process for disability justice centres in Lockridge and Kiara, alleging it's a sham. Premier defends the process, emphasizing the need for the centres and addressing community concerns about proximity to a school.
AnsweredQoN 320Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DISABILITY JUSTICE CENTRES — BASSENDEAN ELECTORATE
320. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
Before asking my question, I acknowledge the residents of
Lockridge and Kiara, in the member for Bassendean's electorate, who are
in the gallery today.
I refer to the Premier's comments in this house on 13
June in relation to the disability justice centres in Lockridge and Kiara, when
he said —
The only way any sort of discussion can be started with the community
is to name the site, and the Minister for Disability Services has done that.
And —
There
will be some public meetings, and I think the minister will attend the first of
those over the weekend to talk to the community about what is proposed
(1) Is genuine consultation taking place or has the
government made a final decision?
(2) When the
Premier said the issue of locating a centre near Lockridge Senior High School
is an issue to be looked at, is the government actually looking at the issue or
have these sites been finally determined?
(3) If a final
decision has been made, why is the government going through a sham consultation
process?
320. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
Before asking my question, I acknowledge the residents of
Lockridge and Kiara, in the member for Bassendean's electorate, who are
in the gallery today.
I refer to the Premier's comments in this house on 13
June in relation to the disability justice centres in Lockridge and Kiara, when
he said —
The only way any sort of discussion can be started with the community
is to name the site, and the Minister for Disability Services has done that.
And —
There
will be some public meetings, and I think the minister will attend the first of
those over the weekend to talk to the community about what is proposed
(1) Is genuine consultation taking place or has the
government made a final decision?
(2) When the
Premier said the issue of locating a centre near Lockridge Senior High School
is an issue to be looked at, is the government actually looking at the issue or
have these sites been finally determined?
(3) If a final
decision has been made, why is the government going through a sham consultation
process?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
The Leader of the Opposition says it is a sham; I do not think the people of
Lockridge think it is a sham.
Mr D.J. Kelly : They think it is a joke!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The member for Bassendean thinks it is a joke; okay. The member for Bassendean
might work a bit harder representing his constituency in a positive way. If the
member thinks people born with an intellectual disability should be described
in those terms, I do not agree with him. I do not think this issue is in any
way a joke. In no way is this issue a joke. The government intends to go ahead
with these two sites. They have to be named. Two sites have been named. The
minister, as I indicated —
[Interruption
from the gallery.]
The SPEAKER : Members of the public are
quite welcome to sit in the gallery and to observe proceedings, but they are
not to make any comments.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The two sites have
been named. The minister, as I indicated, went to a public meeting, which was
pretty lively and loud. As I said before in the house, I understand why people
in the local area would feel concerned and I do not dismiss that in any sense.
Again, the minister has met with a group around the school. I remind members of
the house and people in the gallery that we are talking about people with an
intellectual disability. All of them were, in all probability, born with an
intellectual disability. They have been charged with offences; not a single one
of them has been convicted because they were simply not capable of going
through any sort of judicial process. That is what we are talking about. Many
of the offences have been very minor.
[Interruption
from the gallery.]
The SPEAKER : I have asked people in the
public gallery once before not to make any comments. If there are any further
comments, I will have to clear the gallery.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : These people with
intellectual disabilities do not belong, or deserve to be, in our jail system.
This is a difficult and sensitive issue, not only for local residents, but for
the whole community and our justice system, and indeed, our care for people
with a disability. The two sites will consist of houses. There will be only one
point of entry and exit. There will be dual fences around the area. This is part
of what hopefully will allow some of these people, probably not all of them, to
transition into living within our community. People will be selected to ensure
that anyone going to either of these two facilities will in no way pose a
threat to the community. They will be under constant supervision and if they
leave the centre, if you like, and go into the community, for example, to go to
a doctor or whatever it might be as part of bringing them back into the
community, they will be supervised at all times. They will not be out there
wandering around the streets by themselves. It is not safe for them to do that;
they are not capable of that. Discussions will continue with the community and,
hopefully, the concerns of the community can be allayed in time, but that will
take some time. With respect to the school, the site is near Lockridge Senior
High School, but I think it is in the order of half a kilometre away from the
school. There will be residential development between the centre and the
school, and the school will retain some of that WA Planning Commission land for
the continuing operation of its farm. I understand the difficulties and I
respect the points of view of people in the gallery, and indeed, in the
community. However, I ask them, and the local member, to engage with the
minister in a constructive way.
The Leader of the Opposition says it is a sham; I do not think the people of
Lockridge think it is a sham.
Mr D.J. Kelly : They think it is a joke!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The member for Bassendean thinks it is a joke; okay. The member for Bassendean
might work a bit harder representing his constituency in a positive way. If the
member thinks people born with an intellectual disability should be described
in those terms, I do not agree with him. I do not think this issue is in any
way a joke. In no way is this issue a joke. The government intends to go ahead
with these two sites. They have to be named. Two sites have been named. The
minister, as I indicated —
[Interruption
from the gallery.]
The SPEAKER : Members of the public are
quite welcome to sit in the gallery and to observe proceedings, but they are
not to make any comments.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The two sites have
been named. The minister, as I indicated, went to a public meeting, which was
pretty lively and loud. As I said before in the house, I understand why people
in the local area would feel concerned and I do not dismiss that in any sense.
Again, the minister has met with a group around the school. I remind members of
the house and people in the gallery that we are talking about people with an
intellectual disability. All of them were, in all probability, born with an
intellectual disability. They have been charged with offences; not a single one
of them has been convicted because they were simply not capable of going
through any sort of judicial process. That is what we are talking about. Many
of the offences have been very minor.
[Interruption
from the gallery.]
The SPEAKER : I have asked people in the
public gallery once before not to make any comments. If there are any further
comments, I will have to clear the gallery.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : These people with
intellectual disabilities do not belong, or deserve to be, in our jail system.
This is a difficult and sensitive issue, not only for local residents, but for
the whole community and our justice system, and indeed, our care for people
with a disability. The two sites will consist of houses. There will be only one
point of entry and exit. There will be dual fences around the area. This is part
of what hopefully will allow some of these people, probably not all of them, to
transition into living within our community. People will be selected to ensure
that anyone going to either of these two facilities will in no way pose a
threat to the community. They will be under constant supervision and if they
leave the centre, if you like, and go into the community, for example, to go to
a doctor or whatever it might be as part of bringing them back into the
community, they will be supervised at all times. They will not be out there
wandering around the streets by themselves. It is not safe for them to do that;
they are not capable of that. Discussions will continue with the community and,
hopefully, the concerns of the community can be allayed in time, but that will
take some time. With respect to the school, the site is near Lockridge Senior
High School, but I think it is in the order of half a kilometre away from the
school. There will be residential development between the centre and the
school, and the school will retain some of that WA Planning Commission land for
the continuing operation of its farm. I understand the difficulties and I
respect the points of view of people in the gallery, and indeed, in the
community. However, I ask them, and the local member, to engage with the
minister in a constructive way.
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