Health Minister Roger Cook flags review into circumstances surrounding tragic suicide of 11-year-old girl

Deputy Premier Roger Cook has said this morning he expects the Department of Justice will conduct a formal inquiry into the suicide of an 11-year-old girl after her alleged sex abuser was granted bail. Arriving at Parliament this morning politicians expressed their dismay over the tragic death — the latest in a string of suicides among young Indigenous West Australians. The girl was flown to Perth Children’s Hospital after self-harming this week but died yesterday afternoon. “When a small girl who clearly feels vulnerable and hopeless and has no hope takes their life… I think strikes at the heart of all our sense of humanity and our hearts go out to the family,” Mr Cook said “I'm sure we'll be looking at how we responded in this situation. “My understanding is there was an element of counselling and some support that was available (to the girl before she self-harmed). “So we need to look at if that was appropriate. I'm sure the justice system will look at the way that the bail and other court arrangements (for the accused) were managed as well.” Under questioning from Shadow Minister for Health and Aboriginal Affairs Zak Kirkup, Mr Cook later told an Estimates hearing that the Department of Justice would formally launch an inquiry. “These circumstances lead you to examine not just your services, but your soul, from the point of view of what could we have done or what should have been done to prevent these set of circumstances,” Mr Cook said. “Clearly, within Justice, there will a formal inquiry around this specific issue.” Mr Kirkup struggled to contain his emotions when calling for a wider review of youth suicide in Indigenous communities. “When we see the scale of Aboriginal youth suicide in Western Australia it is very clear that there is a systemic failure in our State,” he said. “I think something needs to be done very significantly as a response from the government to deal with this. “I don't think anyone would think that in 2020 in our State something like this would continue to occur.” But Child Protection Minister Simone McGurk said many Aboriginal people and their advocates were “fatigued” by inquiries into youth suicide and are instead demanding action. Ms McGurk said that the “unimaginably tragic circumstances” do not necessitate an inquiry into youth suicide in First Nations communities. “I'm not committing us as a government to do another inquiry in response to this particular death yesterday,” Ms McGurk said this afternoon. “In my dealings with Aboriginal people and their advocates, I think there is a bit of fatigue around whether it is more inquiries that we need. “There have been many inquiries and many recommendations, we need to implement those recommendations, and do that in a culturally sensitive way.” During Budget estimates for the Department of Communities this morning she urged caution in coverage of the incident “very tragically reported in the West today.” “For a number of reasons I was disturbed to hear about that case, not the least of which I think it needs to be a lot of caution around reporting of suicides, and child suicides,” Ms McGurk said. “Our hearts are with their family and that community at the moment, I can't imagine what they are going through “Suicide - particularly child suicide - is a very complex and difficult area. Where that intersects with child sex abuse is tragic.” Shadow Child Protection Minister Nick Goiran said he was “heart broken about this horrendous tragedy”. “I would ask every Western Australian to pause for a moment and contemplate the torment of an 11-year-old victim of an alleged rape feeling that she has no alternative but to take her life after hearing that the alleged offender has been released on bail,” Mr Goiran said. “This once again highlights the level of suffering and trauma that victims of sexual abuse experience if they do not feel protected from their attackers.” Responding to reports the young girl was experiencing housing insecurity at the time of her suicide, Shadow Minister for Homelessness Tony Krsticevic said there was a clear link between those sleeping rough and self-harm. “We know that people who are homeless are committing suicide at an alarming rate,” he said. “We know that they are victims of assaults and rapes on a regular basis. “That was the story that I got when visiting Tent City in East Perth – they said the reason they are congregating there is because they feel safer if they're together and they can protect each other.” Neither Mr Cook nor Mr Kirkup would comment on the appropriateness of the alleged abuser being granted bail. “I won't comment on court proceedings but clearly we need to look at the situation and learn from it,” Mr Cook said. The Health Minister said previous inquiries into Aboriginal youth suicide had highlighted the importance of “culturally informed” mental health services. “That's why we've undertaken a process to fund a region-by-region Aboriginal suicide co-design response,” he said. “So what works in the Kimberley won't work in Noongar country. What the Yamatji people want for their people might be different from what others want. “So we need to make sure we have an appropriate service but that it is driven by the Aboriginal community itself.” If you or anyone you know is struggling call Lifeline: 13 11 14 or the Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800