RACHEL STEPHEN-SMITH MLA

Minister for Community Services and Social Inclusion

Minister for Disability, Children and Youth
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations
Member for Kurrajong

02 August 2018

Reducing and eliminating restrictive practices in the ACT

Today the Legislative Assembly passed legislation to strengthen Canberra’s efforts to be an inclusive community
where everyone’s rights are respected and upheld.

The Senior Practitioner Bill 2018 establishes a framework for the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices in
the ACT.

A restrictive practice is any practice or intervention that restricts the rights or freedom of movement of a person
for the primary purpose of protecting the person or others from harm.

Vulnerable Canberrans such as those with disability, older people, people living with a psychosocial disability and
children and young people are most at risk of being subject to restrictive practices.

The Bill also formally establishes the role of Senior Practitioner to monitor the use of restrictive practices and to
work with the community to increase awareness about them.

I was pleased to welcome Ms Mandy Donley as the ACT’s first Senior Practitioner in July.

A forensic mental health nurse by profession, from 2007 Ms Donley worked for Victoria’s Senior Practitioner
Office on issues facing the disability community. Since 2015 Ms Donley has provided independent oversight of
restraint and seclusion in Victorian government schools.

The Senior Practitioner will work closely with organisations across Canberra and the ACT community to provide
education and to raise awareness about how to reduce and eliminate restrictive practices.
I look forward to this important piece of work getting underway in partnership with the Canberra community as
we move towards the elimination of restrictive practices in the ACT.

Statement ends

Media contact:
Tim Cooke M 0466 023 084 E tim.cooke@act.gov.au

ACT LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Phone (02) 6207 1185 Email: stephen-smith@act.gov.au
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