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Real people Zero campaign THE TAC’s powerful Towards on family. unashamedly focuses a Narre Warren It was launched using would be an acceptman’s notion that 70 70 members of his able road toll figure, until his field of vision. own family walked into would agree. Bunyip’s Lia Spencer endure the heartto At only 12, she had sisters in a crash break of losing her twin prevented. that could have been pen to paper to A keen writer, Lia put of that day and events chronicle the horrific months and years that the hurt in the days, followed. her experiencShe agreed to write about the hope that it would es for the first time in to be exposed to help prevent others having that same pain. story – and that of Read Lia’s powerful Cerros – in the Narre Warren man Fransisco coverage from pagGazette’s Towards Zero es 11-15.
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Wednesday, 4 January 2017
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Connecting people and communitiess Walking the talk against violence
IT WAS a day of bitter sadness and against women and children. regret. But all that was out shone Police, welfare workers, by hope. and local residents united victims Hundreds gathered in as one ham town centre at midday Paken- for the annual walk, followed by day 25 November to begin on Fri- powerful speeches by those who most wish was unnecessary.a walk dedicate their every day to preventing the rise of domestic Marchers stamped the viopave- lence in Cardinia Shire. ment with their strong White RibRead the full White Ribbon bon Day message: Stop Day violence coverage on pages 21–23.
YEAR IN REVIEW
Together We Can partnerships and engagement facilitator Fiona Cost set to lead hundreds on a walk through Pakenham’s CBD on Friday. 162281 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Case for change
By Aneeka Simonis
MENTALLY unwell patients ing hospital unnoticed, are leavtying up police resources in what’s been described as a loophole in the Mental Health Act 2014. An emergency service who oversees the Cardinia, worker Casey and Dandenong areas has called for the legislation to be reviewed to protect public safety. But the State Government has made clear there will no review. The emergency responder, who did not wish to be named, proposed patients apprehended and hospital by police should taken to be admitted involuntarily until they are assessed by medical staff.
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INSIDE: A LOOK BACK AT WHAT MADE NEWS IN 2016
Under the Act, patients have the they can be right to be admitted assessed.” voluntarily, A spokesperson for the even those identified Minister by police as for Mental Health Martin exhibiting signs of mental Foley said instabil- the Act was ity which pose possible “consistent with the govrisks to the ernment’s commitment to public. rights” and that decisions human This needs to change, about paaccording tient treatment were assessed on a the source. case-by-case basis. “The decision on whether a person requires involuntary is a clinical decision madetreatment by a psychiatrist and reviewed by an independent tribunal,” the spokesperson said. Victoria Legal Aid’s Mental Health and Disability Advocacy “It’s a problem. Patients Program should manager be automatically made involun- working Christopher Povey said tarily for a certain amount with patients in crisis on a of time to voluntary prevent people from basis helped foster walking out so ter betrelationships between them and “Patients have the freedom to walk out and do whatever they want or just leave,” he said.
“This puts pressure on the police to recapture the patient and then take them back to hospital involuntarily.
mental health staff. mental health patient “Victoria Legal Aid handovers supports with police. measures that help people to retain Flaws with its security their dignity and receive arrangethe care ments have also they need at these times been of crisis,” as a recurring issue highlighted Mr Povey said. between the agencies, with reports police are beHe called for greater co-operation ing tied up for hours at a between hospital staff ing for a mental health time waitand police. patient to be seen by medical staff. “Stronger collaborative relationships between police Victoria Police Association and front line secremental health staff in hospitals and tary Ron Iddles acknowledged police mental health services will always have a role to play when would asdealing sist in delivering a more responsive mentally with offenders who are service to people who are distressed is flawed ill, but the current system and taken to emergency and needs to be reviewed. depart“The current system ments in police custody.” does not make for either a safe Casey Hospital has nor expedient been criti- process for both police and hospital cised for its management of health patients, particularly mental staff alike. during
Continued on page 4
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$ $1 iinc. GS GST Pakenham police Senior Sergeant Graeme Stanley has been named the Gazette’s Person of the Year 2016. 163496 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
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We have built a united front on violence against women… – Senior Sergeant Graeme Stanley
Crime crusader By Aneeka Simonis NOT that he’d want you to know it, but Pakenham police Senior Sergeant Graeme Stanley is the man pulling the strings behind some of the region’s greatest policing achievements in recent years. A White Ribbon crusader, mental health advocate and multi-cultural engagement leader are some of the many hats he wears on the job. And his sparkling 25-year career dedicated to empowering the community’s most vulnerable has been acknowledged, with the popular Senior Sergeant named the Gazette’s Person of the Year for 2016. True to form, Sen Sgt Stanley didn’t want the attention solely on him when he learnt of the nomination. Instead, he attributed the community’s huge leap in family violence awareness and various other local achievements to the many
hard-working welfare agencies focused on delivering better outcomes for residents in the growing Cardinia Shire region. He credited Windermere, Anglicare, Connections and Cardinia Council’s Together We Can campaign for their work in connecting with women and children experiencing violence across the shire. “We have built a united front on violence against women,” he said. “What we’ve achieved would not be possible without a network assisting police to look at better ways to do our job and engage with the community. I thank Cardinia Inspector Shane Smith and Senior Sergeant Nathan Prowd for their exceptional work.” Sen Sgt Stanley received the Governor-General’s Australian Police Medal (APM) in September for his work in improving police responses to domestic violence and mental health issues.
2016 PERSON OF THE YEAR This is one of the highest honours a police officer can receive in Australia. And as it turns out, his reach has been felt country-wide. A concept to improve outcomes for mental health patients and police response times will certainly go down in history as one of Sen Sgt Stanley’s greatest policing achievements. Now rolled out nationally, the
PACER (Police, Ambulance and Clinical Early Response) unit has helped drive down patient presentations in hospital emergency departments by providing an at-home care response to people in crisis. It has also helped free up police to respond to crime. And, with a bit of luck – the service will be expanded next year to meet the growing mental health demands presented in the Cardinia Shire, Casey and Greater Dandenong region. Sen Sgt Stanley is also working hard to nip the south-east region’s emerging racial prejudice issue. Earlier this year, he instigated a plan to help recruit South Sudanese youths into Victoria Police. A South Sudanese community leader from Pakenham said his efforts attracted the attention of more than a dozen of local youths. Sen Sgt Stanley’s hope is that by
recruiting South Sudanese police officers, it would help break down barriers between the force and wider cultural group. In a roundtable meeting earlier in the year, Sen Sgt Stanley spoke strongly in support of South Sudanese migrants keeping “parts of their culture that don’t impinge on local laws” and encouraged the wider community to embrace multiculturalism. Looking forward, Sen Sgt Stanley dreams of a day where the community is burdened with less violence. He said Pakenham police – partnered with local support agencies – will continue to push ahead to make sure Cardinia Shire is a great place to live from 2017 onward. “I hope to build on our relationship with the community and other agencies in the Cardinia Shire area to help residents and deliver on their expectations,” he said.
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