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WA health minister Roger Cook said in a press conference about the suicide report that "all these kids were intoxicated before they took their lives."
This is untrue. I have flagged it with his office, who have acknowledged that Cook was incorrect.
This is untrue. I have flagged it with his office, who have acknowledged that Cook was incorrect.
All of the children and young people grew up in an environment of alcohol abuse, which is not the same as abusing alcohol themselves.
Seven had "significant alcohol abuse" in the lead up to their deaths and two had high blood alcohol levels upon death.
Seven had "significant alcohol abuse" in the lead up to their deaths and two had high blood alcohol levels upon death.
It does not help to stigmatise these communities further by mistakenly suggesting that all 13 children and young people - which remember, includes a 10yo girl - were intoxicated when they took their lives.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Cook's preliminary response to the coroner's report an its 42 recommendations was to focus on measures to mitigate drug and alcohol abuse. The report itself makes some recommendations to that effect but focuses mainly on trauma and self-determination.
Cook said the government would respond fully to the coronial recommendation over the coming "weeks and months."
Adding some more context: Cook did not deliberately make a false statement; he got it wrong. The report was released about an hour earlier and he had been in meetings. No one at the press conference corrected him.
