News

Public Advocate/Principal Community Visitor submission to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist-Review of the Mental Health Act 2009 supplementary consultation-January 2025

This submission provided an opportunity for the Public Advocate/Principal Community Visitor to provide feedback on the Supplementary Consultation regarding the Mental Health Act 2009 (SA)-Government Review, to the SA Chief Psychiatrist.

To view the submission click on the following link:  Submission letter to OCP-Review of the Mental Health Act  Supplementary Consultation

Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability-Appearance by Principal Community Visitor  

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability held public hearings in Adelaide from 7-11 June 2021.

The Principal Community Visitor, Ms Anne Gale, appeared as a witness before the Royal Commission on 9 June 2021.

Ms Gale’s written statement is available here.

The transcript of Ms Gale’s evidence to the Royal Commission is available here.

For further information about the Royal Commission please visit www.disability.royalcommission.gov.au.

Community Visitor visits via videoconferencing

On Wednesday, 8 April 2020, the SA Parliament passed legislation and with regulations made on 14 April 2020, which allows the Principal Community Visitor and other appointed Community Visitors to conduct ‘Virtual Visits’ to people who may have a special order as a result of possible exposure to COVID-19.

The Principal Community Visitor has been given additional functions and powers through the COVID-19 Response Act 2020 and subsequent COVID-19 Emergency Response (Schedule 1) Regulations 2020 to enable Community Visitors to visit clients in alternative ways, namely by audio-visual means for the people who have a special order to keep them safe from contracting or exposure to COVID-19. The Community Visitor Scheme will be commencing ‘virtual visits’ as soon as possible by video link and/or phone.  More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Further information on the new legislation and regulations can be found via these links:

COVID-19 Emergency Response Act 2020

COVID-19 Emergency Response (Schedule 1) Regulations 2020 (PDF file)