The ACT Government is in an unenviable position over people who persistently behave in a erratic manner in neighbourhoods. In the most recent case residents in a Tuggeranong suburb say they complained to the Government about the behaviour of one woman who had put them in fear with her conduct. They also complained to The Canberra Times and an article was published quoting the residents’ complaints. Several weeks later the woman committed suicide.
It then becomes easy to blame the government for inaction. Or, indeed, to blame the media for airing the residents’ complaints, or to blame the residents. Post-hoc judgments are easy.
But what was the government to do in this case? The woman had not been charged with any crime, so authorities could not take her in to custody on that score. She had not herself sought help and been turned away. If that had been the case, a blame-laying exercise might have some validity. But the government cannot force people to be helped. Apparently, she was not in such a state that she could have been put into custody under the Mental Health Act. But her behaviour was certainly abnormal to the extent that residents felt their quiet enjoyment was being disturbed. Her house was apparently a mess and she verbally abused people, apparently saying she had a gun.
It is easy to say that if the government had taken her from her home, the death might have been prevented. But the consequences of such a policy would be that very many eccentric people would have to be taken away from their homes on the bias that they might commit suicide or because neighbours do not like the eccentricity. That would be unacceptable. The government should not be blamed for this woman’s death. Nor should there be major changes to policy as a result of it. Sometimes we have to accept that government cannot cure all human ills nor be responsible for all human action.