AMAV VICDOC SUMMER 2023 - Magazine - Page 33
THE P OLICY DESK
AMAV
ADV CACY
—
A particularly eclectic array
of issues has come across
the policy desk over the
past few months including
mental health reform, vaping
regulation, and payroll tax.
MENTAL HEALTH REFORM
—
AMA Victoria has recently, both
publicly and privately, voiced
concerns over the direction of
mental health reform in Victoria,
particularly as manifested in the
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Act, passed by the Victorian
Parliament on 31 August.
AMA Victoria recognises
and respects the commitment
of the Victorian Government
to implementing all
recommendations of the Royal
Commission into Victoria’s
Mental Health System Final
Report within the broad
timeframes specified by
the Commission.
However, we have significant
concerns over the rushed
development and parliamentary
passage of this Act.
As opposed to the
perfunctory consultation
process performed by the
Victorian Department of Health
prior to the legislation being
passed, it is AMA Victoria’s view
that important legislation of
this nature should be developed
over significant periods of
time, particularly from medical
experts in the fields of impact,
and that a rushed process is not
conducive to optimal outcomes
and may have unintended
consequences of harm.
Beyond issues of process,
our substantive objections to
the legislation include:
» Wording in the legislation
that restrictive interventions
offer “no inherent therapeutic
benefit to the person”, and
the continuing objective to
eliminate these practices
within 10 years (it should
be noted, however, that in
response to AMA Victoria’s
forceful advocacy, the
Government abandoned
efforts to legislate a firm
ban on these practices).
» Police-like powers to mental
health staff.
» Language of the Act itself
(for example, definitions
around ‘Electroconvulsive
therapy’ and ‘Patient’).
More generally, we have also
raised with government the
issue of excessive bureaucracy
and administration- or
‘treatment red tape’- attaching
to rash reform of legislation.
Members have noted that, as
it stands, the system is still
struggling to catch up and
deal with the huge impost
and administrative burden of
the 2014 Act, and they have
concerns that what has been
legislated will only double-down
on this.
If you have a policy
issue you would like to
discuss, or have some
feedback about our
priorities, please contact
LewisH@amavic.com.au
—
VICTORIA DISHONOURABLE
RECIPIENT OF DIRTY
ASHTRAY AWARD
—
AMA Victoria recently wrote
to Health Minister Thomas
to inform her that Victoria,
lamentably, received a Dirty
Ashtray Award at the recent
AMA National Conference for
the state’s lack of effort in
preventing vapes being sold
to children.
The letter noted that
inadequate priority has been
given to implementing and
most importantly doing nil to
enforce existing state laws, and
ensuring compliance with these
laws, to prevent the sale of
illegal e-cigarettes to children,
teenagers, and young adults
in Victoria.
Moreover, it noted that
retailers of tobacco products
in Victoria are currently not
required to be licensed and this
makes it very difficult to enforce
existing laws, and ensure
compliance with these laws,
regarding the sale of tobacco
products and e-cigarettes.
The letter concluded
by calling on the Victorian
Government to require all
Victorian tobacco retailers to be
licenced to protect young people
from the enormous harm caused
by all tobacco products and for
more resources to be allocated
to enforcement of the laws that
are on the books.
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