❓ Opposition questions Premier on handling of alleged sexual assault at Perth Children's Hospital mental health unit, particularly regarding severity and implementation of inquiry recommendations. Premier deflects, accuses Opposition of politicising the issue and misrepresenting the nature of reported incidents.
AnsweredQoN 712Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL — MENTAL HEALTH UNIT — ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT
712. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
comments as published in The West Australian regarding sexual assault in
the state's only dedicated children's hospital. He was quoted
as saying —
''I
haven't been briefed on the specific examples, although I am advised
that none are of the severity reported concerning Florence's
case.
He was also quoted as saying —
� we ensure patient safety is our
No.1 priority.''
(1) How is it at
all excusable to downplay the severity of sexual assault against children
whilst in the care of the government's health system?
(2) How can the
Premier say that patient safety is the government's number one priority
if he is unable to confirm whether the recommendations from an inquiry into the
alleged sexual assault have been implemented, nearly two years on?
HOSPITAL — MENTAL HEALTH UNIT — ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT
712. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
comments as published in The West Australian regarding sexual assault in
the state's only dedicated children's hospital. He was quoted
as saying —
''I
haven't been briefed on the specific examples, although I am advised
that none are of the severity reported concerning Florence's
case.
He was also quoted as saying —
� we ensure patient safety is our
No.1 priority.''
(1) How is it at
all excusable to downplay the severity of sexual assault against children
whilst in the care of the government's health system?
(2) How can the
Premier say that patient safety is the government's number one priority
if he is unable to confirm whether the recommendations from an inquiry into the
alleged sexual assault have been implemented, nearly two years on?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question. I take it that the Leader of the Opposition
does not believe that our doctors and nurses consider patient safety our number
one priority. I will let them know that he has no regard for their care for the
patients they are looking after.
It is completely shameful the way the
Leader of the Opposition seeks to politicise these matters in such a rank, amateur sort of way. It is important to
note that the Mental Health Advocacy Service was not making observations with regard to sexual assault, but to
sexual activity or contact. Not all sexual activity in a mental health setting
is an assault, and that is an important distinction to make. I can confirm that
these numbers are for young people, not
children. The Mental Health Advocacy Service defines ''young people''
is anyone up to the age of 24 years. There will sometimes be people in
mental health institutions who, quite frankly, undertake certain consensual activities. It is reportable, and it is
important that people understand that that is not consistent with
policies around sexual safety for inpatients, but it does explain that there is a complexity around these issues that the
headlines do not respect. As a result of that, we have these perverse observations made by members opposite.
I invite the Leader of the Opposition
to perhaps be a little more guarded and more informed, act with a sense of
responsibility and discipline, and to do his homework before he comes into this
place.
thank the member for the question. I take it that the Leader of the Opposition
does not believe that our doctors and nurses consider patient safety our number
one priority. I will let them know that he has no regard for their care for the
patients they are looking after.
It is completely shameful the way the
Leader of the Opposition seeks to politicise these matters in such a rank, amateur sort of way. It is important to
note that the Mental Health Advocacy Service was not making observations with regard to sexual assault, but to
sexual activity or contact. Not all sexual activity in a mental health setting
is an assault, and that is an important distinction to make. I can confirm that
these numbers are for young people, not
children. The Mental Health Advocacy Service defines ''young people''
is anyone up to the age of 24 years. There will sometimes be people in
mental health institutions who, quite frankly, undertake certain consensual activities. It is reportable, and it is
important that people understand that that is not consistent with
policies around sexual safety for inpatients, but it does explain that there is a complexity around these issues that the
headlines do not respect. As a result of that, we have these perverse observations made by members opposite.
I invite the Leader of the Opposition
to perhaps be a little more guarded and more informed, act with a sense of
responsibility and discipline, and to do his homework before he comes into this
place.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.