Vic: Govt pushes for mental health changes after killer flees

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2001
Vic: Govt pushes for mental health changes after killer flees

MELBOURNE, Dec 21 AAP - The Victorian government has called for changes to mental health
legislation after a mentally ill killer fled to Rome while authorities wrangled over jurisdiction.

Claude John Gabriel, 26, flew out of Melbourne with his mother on November 29, after
it was revealed he was living in Victoria.

Gabriel, who stabbed 17-year-old Janaya Clarke to death on the Gold Coast in 1998,
fled Queensland last month with his parents while on release from a mental health facility.

But loopholes in Queensland and Victorian laws left authorities powerless to force
Gabriel's return to Queensland until the two governments signed an agreement on Monday
to allow his return.

Victorian health minister John Thwaites said the legislation must be changed to ensure
the states could work together.

"I am writing to all health ministers to urgently ensure that mental health legislation
can be enforced around the country," he told ABC radio in Melbourne.

"There is clearly a gap in the legislation, a loophole in the legislation, where a
place like Queensland can have legislation that is not able to be enforced in other states."

Mr Thwaites yesterday said the Italian authorities would be informed about Gabriel.

AAP ce/rs

KEYWORD: GABRIEL

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