Elder abuse laws rejected
CHARLES WATERHOUSE
July 13, 2011
THE Tasmanian Government has ruled out introducing elder abuse laws.
A northern Tasmanian municipal council wanted the State Government to change laws to specifically cover prosecuting people who committed crimes against older people, to deter abuse of the elderly.
West Tamar Council is raising the issue as a motion at the Local Government Association of Tasmania's annual conference, which starts next Wednesday.
The council says reports of abuse of older people in the community are sickening and appalling.
The council wants to have included in the aggravated assault section of the Police Offences Act a specific identification to people over the age of 60, just like previous legislation had to people aged under 14, or females.
The State Government says it already has legislation to prosecute offenders and it had an elder abuse strategy that addressed the abuse of the elderly.
SOURCE: The Mercury
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Where is the proof that the Elder Abuse Strategy of the State Government is working? We have been following a case in Launceston for awhile now. The lady in question is very ill. Her case has been ignored by the organisations that were supposed to have looked after her.
Advocates for rights of the vulnerable Elderly are sick of political rhetoric that
look good on paper; but does not do the job.
May be the Government in question, need a Royal Commission to look into it (to buy more time).
Whether any strategy works or not, depends on the result NOT the dismissive, political statement to the media.
........................ Andrew
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