BARTLETT GOVT MUST SHOW COMPASSION TO THE MENTALLY ILL…

…and Implement LegCo Recommendations in Full

The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the tabling of a Legislative Council Select Committee report into Mental Health Legislative Measures, and called on the Bartlett Government and Health Minister Lara Giddings to mark Mental Health Week by committing to implement the report’s recommendations in full.

Greens Health spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said it is obvious that the laws relating to mental health in Tasmania are out-dated and require urgent revision, and that any move to delay or block the implementation of these recommendations will harm Tasmanians living with a mental illness, and their families, who are currently forced to deal with Tasmania’s antiquated laws.

Ms O’Connor also said that the report highlights the lack of, and desperate need for, an adolescent mental health in-patient facility in Tasmania.

“The Bartlett Government and Health Minister Giddings must acknowledge the sad state of Tasmania’s mental health sector, and commit to implementing the recommendations of this well-researched and thought-out Legislative Council report,” said Ms O’Connor.

“The Health Minister confirmed during Budget Estimates in June this year that, despite an exhaustive review process during this term, there will be no reform of the Mental Health Act before the next election. So while the Bartlett Government is able to campaign, politic, and pork-barrel between June 2009 and the election in March 2010, they can’t actually do their jobs on behalf of some of the most vulnerable Tasmanians.”

“There is currently a dreadful tension between giving timely and appropriate care to seriously mentally ill people, while also complying with their human rights, and our legislation needs to deal with this issue instead of placing all responsibility on the treating physician and staff, as currently occurs.”

“The Greens have been calling for an adolescent mental health in-patient facility since last year, and this report also highlights the desperate need for an adolescent-specific facility, to prevent the current, inappropriate practice of incarcerating mentally ill children in adult facilities.”

“Tasmania’s mental health sector, laws and facilities have been neglected for far too long, but this report provides a blue-print for reform. It is now up to the Bartlett Government and Health Minister Lara Giddings to show some compassion, and to begin implementing the report’s recommendations in full,” said Ms O’Connor.

Reference: “Mental Health Legislative Measures,” Legislative Council Select Committee, Parliament of Tasmania, http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/ctee/Council/Reports/mhl.rep.091001.rpd.FinalReport.sm.a.pdf
Cassy O’Connor MP Greens Health Spokesperson