Another voice softly

Grampa used to say "You can't grow up to be a politician because you can't do both."

Victorian State Ombudsman George Brouwer made the news today by tabling a report to the state Parliament that recommends decriminalizing public drunkenness in Victoria. Considering that Australia consumers more beer per person than any other country than Germany, that seems to make sense.
No other Australian state makes it a crime to be drunk in public.
Mr Holding responded by spending $3.8 million to upgrade police cells and closed 161 beds in 54 police stations that the Ombudsman said were substandard. However, Holding did say he doubted the government would move to decriminalize public drunkenness.
Brouwer said the police spend too much time supervising drunks.

But it was in other areas that Mr Brouwer added his voice to the real public services crisis: mental health services.

Up to 70 percent of women prisoners have mental health problems, but didn't get psychiatric services available to men..
Prisons are struggling with prisoners' many mental health problems.
Prisoners with personality disorders are commonly neglected. (p 23 Herald Sun)

Mr Brouwer criticises handling of mental health problems and a failure to protect the vulnerable. (p 18 Herald Sun)

There are so many voices saying the same thing: Australia's mental health system is a shambles because of long-term neglect and lazy professionalism on the part of the profession's leadership and government.
And just when I was thinking it would be good for a man to go into prison: at least he'd get the treatment he needs. -- So much for that idea.