Seeker: orphansblack: Fears over Australian plan to sterilize Aboriginal…
Fears over Australian plan to sterilize Aboriginal children .
Australia is planning to sterilize children without parental consent if a proposed law is adopted. Critics fear that Aborigines would be targeted. You can read about the state’s Draft Mental Health Bi…THIS NEEDS AS MUCH ATTENTION AS POSSIBLE PLEASE READ
Children (of any age) able to consent to sterilisation and 12 year olds to consent to psychosurgery and electroshock without any parental consent in W.A. (this is link to quotes below)
PARENTS RIGHT TO VISIT & COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR CHILD CAN BE REMOVED: At any time a psychiatrist can decide it is not in the child’s best interest to see his or her parents. The psychiatrist can make an order which prohibits the right of a parent to visit or communicate with their child, and refuse the child access to the telephone or visits from friends. [Pages: 145, 146 of the Draft Mental Health Bill 2011]
KIDS PLACED IN PSYCHIATRIC WARDS WITH ADULTS:The draft bill does not rule out children being held in wards with adults if the mental health service considers it is appropriate for them to be there. Children should never be treated in a psychiatric ward with adults. To consider exposing children to such an environment shows pitiful respect for them and leaves them open to physical and sexual abuse in an environment where there is insufficient supervision. [Page 161 of the Draft Mental Health Bill 2011]
RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION OF CHILDREN: Children can be restrained in a psychiatric institution. Only the use of mechanical restraint (manacles, belts, straps etc.) and the use of bodily force by others are covered in the draft bill. Chemical restraint, the use of psychiatric drugs to subdue and control the person, is not covered in the draft bill, so there are no legal safeguards to prevent its application
INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT OF CHILDREN: At any time or place, a medical practitioner or authorised mental health practitioner (the draft bill does not even define who this will be) who “suspects” a child of mental illness can make a legal order for them to be sent for psychiatric assessment. Even a child at a medical appointment or in a general hospital suspected of mental illness could be detained for up to 3 days while awaiting transport for assessment. Once the child is transported to the assessing psychiatrist (usually at a psychiatric hospital) the psychiatrist can involuntarily detain the child for up to 14 days. Parents will not be able to discharge their child and take them home; the psychiatrist has the power to prevent parents from seeing their child if they decide it is in the child’s best interest. A psychiatrist can then make a “continuation order” to continue the involuntary commitment for up to 3 months once the 14 days has expired. He or she can continue to do this in up to 3 month blocks each time. During detainment the child could be drugged, restrained, secluded, given electroshock (if 12 or over) and could be put into a ward with adults. Parental consent is not required to continue the detainment or for any treatment.
WHAT THE FUCK
WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK
this needs as much attention as possible
there was a petition but it has CLOSED, I can’t yet source the current status of the bill but here are relevant people to contact:
- The Minster for Mental Health: The Hon. Helen Morton
7th Floor, Dumas House, 2 Havelock Street, WEST PERTH WA 6005.
Email: Minister.Morton@dpc.wa.gov.au- The Minister for Health: The Hon. Dr Kim Hames,
28th Floor, Governor Stirling Tower 197 St Georges Terrace, PERTH WA 6000.
Email: Minister.Hames@dpc.wa.gov.au- And your local Member of Parliament.
Find their addresses at: www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/memblist.nsf/WAllMembers- CC the Mental Health Commission also: GPO Box X2299 Perth Business Centre, W.A. 6847 Email: contactus@mentalhealth.wa.gov.au
I am ashamed and disgusted at myself and the people of Perth, W.A and Australia for tallowing this to GET THIS FUCKING FAR
FOR FUCKS SAKE
guys this isn’t some impersonal thing now. this is my state. and the indigenous australians? those are my people.
that could be my aunts. that could be my cousins. that could be my siblings. that could be me.
this is the stolen generation all over again. all it takes is a few moments, and these people, my people, me can have rights discussed, without being ignored.