Meeting with Attorney General Hon. Kyam Maher MLC

On Monday the Attorney General Hon Kyam Maher met with us to discuss our push to reform laws around failure to render assistance where a victim is unable to summons help for themselves. Our daughter lay at the mercy of Ethan Ross for almost 24 hours, Amy was said to be in a state of unconsciousness for this whole period by medical experts.

Kyam Maher showed true care and empathy for the devastating loss our family has faced. He also showed understanding of how dealing with government departments such as the police and the DPP can be an added anxiety and trauma when communication is not prompt or informative. Kyam organised for the Victim’s Right Commissioner, Sarah Quick to make contact with me and address any concerns we are having in regards to communication and information.

We expressed to Kyam that creating this reform would recognise that in intimate partner relationships, responsibility does not end when violence or a medical crisis occurs. Creating a statutory obligation would reinforce that failing to seek help in a life-threatening emergency is not a neutral act, it is a serious failure of care.

I raised the findings of the Victorian Coroner’s released the week prior to our meeting which highlighted the need for law reform around “medical abandonment”. These findings are based on three deaths where victims were left to die by their partners. This report also makes the recommendation that a distinct criminal law be established that explicitly punishes a perpetrator for abandoning a victim who is in clear medical need of help.

While we did walk away from the meeting feeling the Government is supportive of this reform, no clear indication was given of how long this could take. Bryan and I assured Kyam that until we saw this law created to protect innocent victims we would not give up the fight. Honour and courage for Amy.