Matt Smith: One wonders how failing to progress Gayle’s Law, after almost a year, is nation-leading

It’s been 980 days since nurse Gayle Woodford was murdered in SA’s APY Lands. It’s been a year since politicians celebrated laws named for her. And almost nothing on the ground has changed, writes Matt Smith.

Gayle Woodford was a dedicated health worker who had worked for five years in the remote APY Lands in the Far North before her murder on March 24, 2016.

The circumstances of her death have been well publicised. The man responsible, Dudley Davey, was jailed for life with a non-parole term of 32 years.

Gayle’s death was an awful example – for the want of a better term – of what can happen to vulnerable workers operating in trying conditions.

As described by the Woodford family, it takes a special type of person to do remote nursing.

Ms Woodford was a wonderfully dedicated nurse, loved by the people she worked with and the people she cared for.

Nurses in regional Australia are doing important, essential work, like their counterparts in the cities and towns.

And sometimes their clients are dangerous and erratic. There is a reason why paramedics will not go to parts of Adelaide without police assistance.

Health workers understand there are risks but they are embraced by the communities that they are part of.

But they need to be afforded protections for the occasions where things can go wrong.

At the time Davey was sentenced, the Supreme Court heard he had previously attacked at least five women, including two other nurses.

All sides of politics appear to embrace the need to enact laws that protect health workers in outback Australia.

But the speed of progress has not been good enough.

Employers of health workers in regional communities across Australia still have no legal obligation to ensure staff do not work alone – despite it being 980 days since Ms Woodford’s murder.

SA was the nation’s leader in establishing the laws, thanks in part to lobbying from the Woodford family and supporters. But the new State Government has dropped the ball, with a consultation paper only just this month being released.

This is almost 12 months after politicians, the public and the Woodford family were rightly celebrating the passing of Gayle’s Law.

Health Minister Stephen Wade, who has deservedly earned a reputation as an MP with an incredible workrate and attention to detail, will meet the Woodford family for the first time next month to discuss the progress of the law.

A spokeswoman for his federal colleague, Greg Hunt, said the Liberal Government supported the national adoption of Gayle’s Law and all states and territories had agreed to proceed with laws or regulations in their own jurisdictions.

The spokeswoman went on to say: “South Australia has led the way under the Marshall Government.”

One wonders how failing to progress the celebrated laws, after almost a year, is nation-leading.

Furthermore, it is possible to suggest a state-based approach is not the way to go if this is the result.

Mr Hunt’s spokeswoman also made reference to an agreement at the Council of Australian Governments meeting last year.

But, as pointed out by Centre Alliance Senate candidate Skye Kakoschke-Moore, the official communique for that meeting merely says “Ministers noted a suite of resources to help improve the safety and security of health professionals working in remote locations…”

So it seems all that happened at COAG that day was the noting of resources. If this is the extent of the conversation about Gayle’s Law it is again not good enough.

Labor’s Catherine King, who is expected to serve as the federal health minister under a Bill Shorten-led government, has vowed to work with states and territories to establish a national Gayle’s Law in a move welcomed by the Woodford family.

Ms Kakoschke-Moore has vowed the same on behalf of Centre Alliance if elected.

Hopefully, it is the catalyst to get the issue back on the national agenda. And not just in a symbolic way but in a form that offers the legislative protection for nurses like Gayle Woodford.