Terms of reference of disability taskforce after shocking death of Ann Marie Smith show it is not looking into her specific case
The co-chair of the taskforce launched after the shocking death of Ann Marie Smith has delivered an emotional video, defending its independence.
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Disability advocate Kelly Vincent has defended the independent taskforce set up in the wake of the death of Ann Marie Smith, in an emotional online video.
Ms Vincent, who is a member of the government-appointed taskforce, said attacks from Labor about its independence were “damaging to our community”.
“Most of us are a group of people with disabilities, or carers of people with disabilities, who are damn sick of watching our people … be neglected, abused, tortured and killed,’’ said Ms Vincent. “We are just trying to work damn hard to find the solutions to this issue.”
She said the terms of reference were not “being kept secret”, and it was hurtful and offensive to suggest otherwise.
“The terms of reference were tabled and discussed at the very first meeting of the taskforce – that’s procedure,” she said. “It was then circulated to taskforce members, who were given time to give feedback. People with disabilities sometimes need extra time to give feedback. That’s what’s happened.
“This is just a bunch of dedicated, sad, angry people trying to help our community.
“To make us out to be some secretive organisation is not correct, is damaging to our community and hurting us.”
Earlier this week, Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas said the taskforce was becoming a “whitewash” with “bureaucrats investigating themselves”.
The taskforce will not looking into the circumstances of Ann Marie’s specific case.
It will examine gaps in oversight and safeguards for people living with a disability, including the policies and practices of the National Disability Insurance Agency.
The State Government on Wednesday afternoon published the final terms of reference for the inquiry, which was established more than two weeks ago, after intense Opposition scrutiny.
It says the taskforce will examine the current gaps in oversight and safeguarding for people living with disability, including the policies and practices of the NDIA,
the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and State Government instrumentalities.
“The taskforce seeks to consider the gaps from a developmental, preventive and reactive perspective,” the terms of reference read. “The taskforce will provide written reports including recommendations to the State Government regarding areas that need to be addressed urgently in order to safeguard South Australian citizens with disability.”
It will deliver an interim report by June 15, and a final by the end of next month.
Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink on Tuesday told Question Time the taskforce had been given clear direction when launched and Labor was “salivating” over political games.
That sparked fury on the Opposition benches, and calls for her to withdraw the comment.
“The Labor Party has engaged in hubris. It is almost salivating at this situation, where we have had the tragic death of a South Australian who clearly deserved a lot better,” Ms Lensink said.
“People on that taskforce with lived experience (of disability) … are going through their own grief. “We should be grateful that South Australians are stepping into this space so that we can try and ensure that these gaps in safeguarding don’t exist into the future.”
“We want answers to this.”
Ms Smith died from severe septic shock and multiple organ failure. Police claim her “disgusting and degrading” conditions included spending her final year in a cane chair.
The Opposition grilled both Mr Lensink and Mr Marshall in both houses of Parliament for a second day running, as they claim the taskforce is becoming a whitewash.
Mr Marshall said there was a police investigation, a Coroner’s investigation to follow that, and national examination of the NDIS underway to specifically look at Ms Smith’s case.
“They (the taskforce) will not be undertaking an investigation into the specific case,” he said.
“(It will) look at the gaps that exist within SA on the oversight or the safeguarding of people with a disability.
“They (the Opposition) are obsessed with process. We want outcomes.
“This case, which has been well canvassed in the media, has sickened all South Australians.”
He said the taskforce allowed the Government to rapidly look at what could quickly be done to fix the system, stressing that the NDIS was administered by the Federal Government.
In Question Time on Tuesday, Mr Marshall said: “We want to keep the scope of this taskforce broad. There are people on this taskforce with great lived experience and, quite frankly, they want to get to the bottom of a sickening case in SA.”
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said the taskforce was in disarray.
“Every South Australian was deeply disturbed by the circumstances of Ann Marie Smith’s death,” he said. “It is vitally important we get to the bottom of this case.
“This is why we need an independent judicial inquiry, rather than the government’s independent taskforce.”
The taskforce is co-led by former Dignity for Disability MP Kelly Vincent, who has savaged federal NDIS Minister Stuart Robert for refusing to say how often Ms Smith was checked on.