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MENTAL HEALTH (TREATMENT AND CARE) BILL 1994

MENTAL HEALTH (CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS) BILL 1994

PRESENTATION SPEECH

MADAM SPEAKER, I SEEK LEAVE TO PRESENT THE MENTAL HEALTH

(TREATMENT AND CARE) BILL 1994 AND THE MENTAL HEALTH

(CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL 1994.

MADAM SPEAKER, ALL MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY WILL BE AWARE THAT

THE GOVERNMENT TABLED A DRAFT EXPOSURE VERSION OF THE MENTAL

WELFARE BILL IN JUNE 1993 FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONSULTATION AND

DISCUSSION. IN SEPTEMBER 1993 THE BILL WAS REFERRED TO THE

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY'S STANDING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL POLICY

THE COMMITTEE CONDUCTED AN EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS OF PUBLIC

CONSULTATION AND EXAMINATION OF THE BILL. THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED

MANY SUBMISSIONS AND HELD WELL ATTENDED PUBLIC MEETINGS. DUE TO

THE DIFFICULT SUBJECT MATTER OF THE LEGISLATION AND THE LEVEL OF

COMMUNITY INTEREST, THE COMMITTEE COULD NOT PRESENT ITS REPORT

ON THE BILL UNTIL APRIL OF THIS YEAR.

MADAM SPEAKER, I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THE

COMMITTEE HAS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE

ASSEMBLY ENACT, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, LEGISLATION IN THE FORM OF THIS

BILL AND THE CRIMES AMENDMENT BILL WHICH I WILL ALSO BE PRESENTING

TODAY. THE PRESENTATION OF THESE BILLS REPRESENTS THE GOVERNMENT'S

AGREEMENT WITH THE ALL OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS WITH

ONE EXCEPTION.

THE COMMITTEE MADE 6 RECOMMENDATIONS - THREE CONCERNING

CHANGES TO THE BILL WHICH, THE BILL AS PRESENTED, INCORPORATES AND

ONE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT AGREED TO WHICH IS THE RENAMING

OF THE BILL TO MENTAL DYSFUNCTION (TREATMENT AND CARE) BILL. I

RECEIVED STRONG ADVICE FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL

THAT THE SUGGESTED NAME WAS NOT APPROPRIATE.

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