❓ Mr. Kelly questions the Premier's decision to locate a disability justice centre on Lockridge Senior High School land without consultation. The Premier defends the decision, citing the need to start the discussion by naming the site and promising public meetings.
AnsweredQoN 258Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DISABILITY
JUSTICE CENTRES — BASSENDEAN ELECTORATE
258. Mr D.J. KELLY to the Premier:
I refer to the government's announcement yesterday
that it will locate two disability justice centres in my electorate, one of
which will be on land that is part of Lockridge Senior High School. Given that
the land to be used for the Altone Road centre is currently part of Lockridge
Senior High School and is used by the school to deliver its award-winning farm
program, has the Premier not shown absolute contempt for the school and its
staff, students and parents by making this decision without any consultation
with the school?
JUSTICE CENTRES — BASSENDEAN ELECTORATE
258. Mr D.J. KELLY to the Premier:
I refer to the government's announcement yesterday
that it will locate two disability justice centres in my electorate, one of
which will be on land that is part of Lockridge Senior High School. Given that
the land to be used for the Altone Road centre is currently part of Lockridge
Senior High School and is used by the school to deliver its award-winning farm
program, has the Premier not shown absolute contempt for the school and its
staff, students and parents by making this decision without any consultation
with the school?
AnswerView source ↗
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.
Mr M. McGowan : It's
not for consultation.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the Opposition!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As the minister said yesterday, we have to start somewhere, and naming the site
is where we have started.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. A question has been
asked of the Premier, not of the Leader of the Opposition or the member for
Albany.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
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
and also about the conditions of the people who will be placed in those two
centres in Lockridge and Kiara. As I said yesterday, these people have a mental
health condition. They may have been born with that condition.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
They're offenders.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Yes, they have committed an offence. They generally have been neither charged
nor convicted. I think that when dealing with generally young people who have a
mental health condition, there is room for some compassion and there is room to
try to find people who have offended—I told members yesterday the story
of the young boy who stole an ice-cream and ended up in high-security Casuarina
—
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the first time. The question was
asked of the Premier.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
How did he get to Casuarina?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, when I am on my feet, please do not talk across the
chamber. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am aware of Lockridge Senior High School and its agricultural program. I have
visited the school in years gone by. There is a large amount of land at that
site. That issue will be one of the issues that the minister will no doubt
discuss with the local community. It is not appropriate that we simply confine
people with mental health conditions to prison environments. Yesterday the
member for Bassendean made accusations —
Mr F.M. Logan : Is
it appropriate to put it next to a high school?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is an issue to be looked at. These people are not in any way considered to
be a danger or threat to anyone.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
That's not true.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The
member assumes that. They will be in a purpose-built environment. Yesterday the
member for Bassendean made accusations about Liberal and Labor electorates. I
remind him that the Graylands psychiatric hospital is in my electorate.
Mr P.B. Watson : It's
been there for a hundred years.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Yes, it has.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The Frankland Centre for people who have committed serious offences is in my
electorate. People with mental health issues are housed in the community in my
electorate. I know there will be concerns in the community.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
It has very high security. It's entirely different.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
know there are concerns in the community, as there have been in my electorate.
I have absolute confidence in the minister to meet with the community. I
believe she will be able to allay those fears. Indeed, if the member were
prepared to do his job, he would sit down with the minister and members of his
community and be part of a constructive discussion about it. That is what you
would do as a responsible member of Parliament. All that the member opposite
displays is a prejudice against mental health.
community is to name the site, and the Minister for Disability Services has
done that.
Mr M. McGowan : It's
not for consultation.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the Opposition!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As the minister said yesterday, we have to start somewhere, and naming the site
is where we have started.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. A question has been
asked of the Premier, not of the Leader of the Opposition or the member for
Albany.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
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
and also about the conditions of the people who will be placed in those two
centres in Lockridge and Kiara. As I said yesterday, these people have a mental
health condition. They may have been born with that condition.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
They're offenders.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Yes, they have committed an offence. They generally have been neither charged
nor convicted. I think that when dealing with generally young people who have a
mental health condition, there is room for some compassion and there is room to
try to find people who have offended—I told members yesterday the story
of the young boy who stole an ice-cream and ended up in high-security Casuarina
—
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the first time. The question was
asked of the Premier.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
How did he get to Casuarina?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, when I am on my feet, please do not talk across the
chamber. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am aware of Lockridge Senior High School and its agricultural program. I have
visited the school in years gone by. There is a large amount of land at that
site. That issue will be one of the issues that the minister will no doubt
discuss with the local community. It is not appropriate that we simply confine
people with mental health conditions to prison environments. Yesterday the
member for Bassendean made accusations —
Mr F.M. Logan : Is
it appropriate to put it next to a high school?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is an issue to be looked at. These people are not in any way considered to
be a danger or threat to anyone.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
That's not true.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The
member assumes that. They will be in a purpose-built environment. Yesterday the
member for Bassendean made accusations about Liberal and Labor electorates. I
remind him that the Graylands psychiatric hospital is in my electorate.
Mr P.B. Watson : It's
been there for a hundred years.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Yes, it has.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The Frankland Centre for people who have committed serious offences is in my
electorate. People with mental health issues are housed in the community in my
electorate. I know there will be concerns in the community.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
It has very high security. It's entirely different.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
know there are concerns in the community, as there have been in my electorate.
I have absolute confidence in the minister to meet with the community. I
believe she will be able to allay those fears. Indeed, if the member were
prepared to do his job, he would sit down with the minister and members of his
community and be part of a constructive discussion about it. That is what you
would do as a responsible member of Parliament. All that the member opposite
displays is a prejudice against mental health.
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