Page 4049 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 30 November 2022

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MADAM SPEAKER: Resume your seat, please. It is relevant. The questions were about people being admitted. It is about the provision of care in that unit. It is an appropriate question.

MS DAVIDSON: That is actually a very timely question. The role of Dhulwa is quite important within the landscape of mental health services for inpatients in Canberra. As we all know, on 2 May of this year I announced an independent inquiry into the legislation, the governance and the clinical frameworks at the Dhulwa mental health unit. That inquiry, which was supported by forensic mental health experts, is due to provide its final report to this Assembly soon. I expect that in reading the final report of that inquiry there will be things for us to consider about where Dhulwa fits into the landscape of mental health inpatient services in Canberra and the role of forensic mental health services in our city. That is something that I think is an important conversation for our community to have.

Dhulwa Mental Health Unit—review

MR COCKS: My question is to the Minister for Mental Health. Minister, in May you announced an independent inquiry into the legislative, workplace governance and clinical frameworks at Dhulwa. On the CMTEDD website it says:

The Chair will provide a preliminary report inclusive of initial findings to the Minister for Mental Health no later than 12 weeks after commencement of the Inquiry and a final report no later than 6 weeks after delivery of the preliminary report.

Minister, we are now 30 weeks into this 18-week inquiry. Do you not have the final report? When will you be able to release it?

MR BARR: Under the Inquiries Act, the report comes to me. I will be releasing it tomorrow.

Mr Cocks: I could not hear that.

MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Barr, can you please repeat your answer, for the sake of Mr Cocks.

MR BARR: Under the Inquiries Act, the final report comes to me. I will be releasing it tomorrow.

MR COCKS: Minister, why have you failed to support nurses by not ensuring this report could be released earlier this year, when you, as the Minister for Mental Health, were quoted, on 1 June, as saying, “Nurses were clear that any review must be done quickly.”

MS DAVIDSON: For an inquiry that is independently chaired, and that includes support form forensic mental health experts, and that had to the number of


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