Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health about a cancelled meeting with Aishwarya Aswath's parents. The Minister responds, stating the family requested postponement and accuses Ms. Mettam of political opportunism.

AnsweredQoN 61Legislative Assembly
Asked
22 February 2022
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

PERTH CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL — AISHWARYA ASWATH
61. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the tragic death of
Aishwarya Aswath and the McGowan government's response to implementing
the recommendations of the independent inquiry into Perth Children's
Hospital.
(1) Why did the minister cancel her
meeting with Aishwarya's parents last Friday?
(2) When will this meeting now
occur?

AnswerView source ↗

(1)–(2) The member is on
very tenuous ground.
Ms L. Mettam : According to
you.
Ms A. SANDERSON : I will
explain. The family requested directly that my meeting be postponed because
they wanted to meet with me without a particular representative. Would you like
me to continue? You are quite extraordinary in your grubbiness, quite frankly.
Ms M.J. Davies : Just answer
the question.
Ms A. SANDERSON : I just did,
Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Leader
of the Opposition!
Several members interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : I just did. I just answered the
question.
Several members interjected.
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : Deputy Speaker, the minister is attempting to
answer a question and is being continuously interrupted and is not
seeking interruptions.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Thank you, Leader of the House. There is no
point of order. The minister shall respond without being interrupted.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Ms A. SANDERSON : I intend to
support the family to find a peaceful, quiet resolution to the pain and grief
that they have experienced over the last 12 months with the death of their
daughter. As the minister and their local member, that is what I will do. I will
not be scratching around and looking to use people for my own political
purposes, which is exactly what the member did last weekend. We know what
happened. I would caution the member for Vasse about whom she interacts with
and how she conducts herself in relation to the family. I am not going to
expose personal and private conversations in Parliament because I respect them
and their privacy. I will conduct those meetings in a private capacity, as they
have requested.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Deputy
Leader of the Liberal Party, a question without preamble, thank you.

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