Community calls for CLMIA reform

WAAMH supports MHM2 calls for CLMIA Reform and reproduces its communication here with permission.

Following a community discussion on the reform of the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Accused) Act 1996 on 15 May 2017, Mental Health Matters 2 has written to the Attorney General The Hon. John Quigley MLA to relay the following message:

"The State Government must urgently reform the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Accused) Act 1996 as a matter of priority and this reform must be carried out in genuine and meaningful consultation with all stakeholders, especially mental health consumers, families and carers.

"Reform must be informed by genuine and meaningful consultation with all stakeholders, especially with individuals who experience mental distress and their families and supporters."

 The Attorney General has been asked to inform MHM2 of the timeline his Office will be pursuing in relation to the reform.

If you haven't already done so, WAAMH and MHM2 encourages you to contact the Attorney General by letter, email or phone to let him know why this issue is important to you.   

His contact details are:

Name:  The Honourable Mr John Quigley MLA

Email:    Minister.Quigley@dpc.wa.gov.au;

Telephone:  (08) 6552 6800

Mail: 10^th Floor, London House, 216 St George’s Terrace, Perth 6000.

Consider cc’ing in the following:

•   Minister for Health and Mental Health The Hon. Roger Cook MLA- Minister.Cook@dpc.wa.gov.au
•   Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health Ms Alanna Clohessy - clohesy.emetro@mp.wa.gov.au
•   Minister for Disabilities The Hon. Stephen Dawson MLC - Minister.Dawson@dpc.wa.gov.au

 

Local MPs

At the event, there was a clear message from MPs about how important it is that politicians know there is community support for reform initiatives, particularly when those reforms might be contested by some parts of the community.  

Contact details for your local MP are available at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/memblist.nsf/wallmembers.   

Let them know why this reform is necessary as some may not be aware of the impact of this heinous piece of legislation.

Approach 

In line with MHM2's values of advocating in a 'Gracious, Just, Informed, Resolute and Hopeful way', they encourage you to be:

• Supportive of the new government and Premier Mark McGowan’s pre-election commitment to “reform WA’s mentally impaired accused laws during first year in office”.  https://www.markmcgowan.com.au/news/mcgowan-government-to-reform-was-mentally-impaired-accused-laws-during-first-year-in-office-1117
• Conscious of the tension between a call for urgent reform and the need for genuine consultation, particularly with consumers and families - which has not previously been done properly. 

An emphasis on urgency may well see what's been on offer before: a review involving only invited stakeholders (not including people with lived experience); a narrow Terms of Reference which doesn’t include key areas (ref: previous Government’s TOR which left out the question of taking the power of decision-making away from the Attorney General).  Effective reform requires both: urgency and genuine consultation with people whose lives are affected by this legislation, and their families and supporters.

We need to work together to achieve this reform.  Let’s do so with a view to creating a more just, humane and safe community for all our citizens.