Taskforce investigating disability services after Ann Marie Smith’s death has no final instructions, just two weeks from first report
A minister has been brought close to tears while talking about Ann Marie Smith – as it’s revealed no final terms of reference have been given for an inquiry into the case.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An emotional Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink has been brought to the edge of tears while speaking in State Parliament about the shocking death of Ann Marie Smith, as it also emerges the state taskforce looking into the case has no final terms of reference.
Ms Lensink’s speech came ahead of a Question Time where she was grilled about what could have been done to prevent the death of the disabled Kensington Park woman.
Police are investigating the death, which they say occurred in “disgusting and degrading” circumstances that include Ms Smith allegedly spending her final year in a cane chair.
Premier Steven Marshall launched the taskforce amid widespread shock and outrage to examine gaps between state services and the federally-run National Disability Insurance Scheme, of which Ms Smith was a client.
A government spokeswoman on Tuesday night told The Advertiser: “The State Government is finalising the terms of reference with the taskforce and they will be made publicly available”.
On Wednesday morning, Ms Lensink told ABC Radio that the taskforce was close to finalising draft terms of reference for its inquiry.
The draft terms relate to identifying gaps in the disability care system between levels of government, rather than Ms Smith’s specific case.
“We wanted to make sure that this taskforce was independent and transparent,” she said. “Terms of reference were drafted within days of establishing the taskforce. “They were provided to the first meeting.
“This concept that this taskforce was operating with no sense of what it was supposed to be doing is just a nonsense.”
Terms of reference are official instructions to guide the focus of investigations. The taskforce is due to deliver an interim report on June 15, and a final report at the end of next month.
A Government spokeswoman said the terms of reference were still being finalised and “they will be made publicly available” when complete.
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said the taskforce was becoming a “whitewash” and it was incredible that the group had not been given clear instruction.
“We have bureaucrats investigating themselves,” he said. “There is no evidence that this taskforce is a serious exercise in trying to get to the bottom of how this tragedy occurred. There can be no thorough investigation in just two weeks without terms of reference.”
Ms Lensink’s voice broke while telling Parliament: “As a minister, and a mother. I’m personally horrified by what has happened to Ann Marie.
“Ann Marie Smith, however, was more than the name we’ve heard repeated many times over the past few weeks.
“She was more than the photo that we’ve seen on our television screens and across printed and social media. Ann Marie was a daughter, a sister, a friend, a neighbour.
“Ann Marie should have been living a happy, healthy and safe life as independently as possible without fear of neglect. It is clear that was not the case. She should have had choice and control over her life. She should have been visiting friends or libraries or local cafes.”