Tuesday, 31 October 2023

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Medically supervised injecting facilities

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:05): (320) My question is to the Minister for Mental Health. Minister, on 4 December 2020, former minister Martin Foley told PAEC in answer to a question on when the Lay report would be made public:

… I have had conversations as recently as last week with Mr Lay, and we are still hopeful … that the response will be forthcoming in the time frame that the government has set.

Minister, that was nearly three years ago. What is the time frame that the government has set for the Lay report to be released to the Victorian public?

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:06): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. It is an important issue and of course one that I think I have already indicated to the house will be a priority for the Allan Labor government and indeed for me as the relatively new Minister for Mental Health to respond to. Of course Ken Lay’s report is very detailed and important, and I have had the opportunity now to read his report. The government is considering the recommendations contained within it and will respond to Mr Ken Lay’s report in due course. What I will say – and I have been on the record as saying this previously – is that these are not simple matters. These are complex matters, and it is important that when the government formulates its response to Mr Lay’s report we consider carefully the issues around harm minimisation, health and safety, and amenity. Indeed there has been extensive consultation undertaken by Mr Lay, which he has reported on in his report, and that is an important thing for the government to consider. I want to make sure that we get this right, so the government will respond to his report in due course.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:07): Minister, the unwillingness of your government to be up-front with the Victorian public about recommendations in the Lay report is now beyond farcical. Up to 10 drafts of the Lay report have been put before the government in the past three years, covering now four different Labor ministers for mental health. The government has had months to consider the recommendations of the final report, yet you are saying the government needs even more time. You are saying it is a priority, but you are saying it will be released in due course. How much more time will you need before you release the Lay report, which Victorians have every right to see, or will it be another example of more excuses until you get moved on to another portfolio and it becomes yet another minister’s decision?

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:08): I thank Ms Crozier for her supplementary question. I think that she is conflating a number of different issues there in her supplementary. What I have said quite clearly is that, as the new minister who has been in the portfolio for about three weeks, I am treating this matter as a priority. I have no announcements to make today, Ms Crozier, in question time, but the government will respond to Mr Lay’s report in due course.

Members interjecting.

Ingrid STITT: And I will take up that interjection. Yes, I have read the report.