At today’s meeting with Cassie O’Conner I was able to ask the question, as the Minister for Human Services, when are you envisaging an apology to the people who lived at Willow Court and Royal Derwent Hospital?
The answer in short “is late next year is the plan”, the long answer is “that there needs to be a lot of support from People living with Disabilities and those that advocate on behalf of those people whom may not be able to advocate for themselves.”
Silence on this matter will not give support, even though there is an evidence basis for an apology. It is also important that this is not seen as an apology on behalf of previous Staff of Willow Court, but more an apology for the past policies and practices.