Peter Malinauskas promises Chloe Wyatt-Jasper a meeting after ‘powerful’ Teen Parliament speech

Chloe Wyatt-Jasper came to last week’s Teen Parliament with a message – and it won the attention of some of the state’s most influential people.

Teenager Chloe Wyatt-Jasper rose to her feet on the floor of state parliament on Friday and bravely told the horror story that engulfed her family when she was just an infant.

In 2009, when Chloe was just two weeks old, her father, who had schizophrenia and a drug addiction, killed her brother Jakob, stabbed her mother, severed Chloe’s ear – resulting in six operations – and took his own life.

Chloe’s determination to tell that story had a powerful effect on Premier Peter Malinauskas, who responded to her impassioned plea for more mental health funding at The Advertiser’s Teen Parliament by promising her a meeting with Health Minister Chris Picton and the state’s advocate for suicide prevention, Elder MP Nadia Clancy.

Teen Parliament - Chloe Wyatt-Jasper with her mum Naomi Lee-Jasper Picture: Keryn Stevens

Mr Malinauskas commended the teen for speaking “not just elegantly but powerfully” and said he would take Chloe’s words “into consideration” before the announcement of the state budget.

“Your words this morning are probably one of the more powerful budget bids that I’ve heard in a very long time,” Mr Malinauskas said.

Chloe’s mother Naomi Jasper, who was 20 at the time of the incident, told of the nightmare that unfolded.

“That night, David came to me and said he was feeling really unwell mentally and he said he needed to go to hospital,” the Elizabeth Park woman, now 36, said.

“He tried ringing the mental health help lines and hospitals … they basically just said to him to ‘take a warm shower, have a warm drink and go to bed’.”

The next thing she recalled was waking up to Mr Wyatt standing in the doorway with a knife.

“He just came running at me towards the bed and I remember just waking up on the floor and he attacked me and proceeded to attack Chloe,” she said. “I wasn’t sure at that stage whether she was gone or still with us.”

Ms Jasper tried to escape but she said Mr Wyatt then stabbed her in the back of the shoulder.

“And then (he) went off to our young son’s bedroom,” she said.

She escaped to her neighbour’s house and “collapsed multiple times” on the way.

“I could hear Jakob screaming and it felt like an absolute eternity. Then all of a sudden he stopped.”

Teen Parliament - Picture: Keryn Stevens

Spurred by her family’s harrowing experiences, 15-year-old Chloe on Friday advocated in the House of Assembly, with Mr Malinauskas watching on, for more mental health support, including more beds for patients in need.

“Our country does not need any more service stations or tennis courts, what we need is more funding for mental health support,” the Year 10 student at Playford International College said.

It took incredible courage for Chloe to take that stand in a public forum in light of her own mental health struggles.

Until recently, such a triumph seemed impossible to the teen who just six months ago attempted to take her own life. She spent four days in the Lyell McEwin Hospital before she was sent home.

“I cried in the car on the way home,” Chloe said. “Then they sent me home and said they thought the best place for me to heal would be in a home setting and not a hospital.

“Just that day, more could have been done.”

Chloe now said she feels it’s her duty to speak about mental health issues so others can get help before it’s too late. “What I said can actually change things and maybe save some people,” she said.

Chloe wants to be a mental health nurse after she finishes school as she was inspired by a woman who took care of her in hospital.

“When I tried to commit suicide last year one of my nurses was really nice and she said all this stuff that changed my perspective on things,” Chloe said.

“I want to be like her but for other people.”