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Soviet Psychiatry Alive and Well in N.S.W. Australia

Laurel O'Brien | 17.10.2005 09:01 | Repression | World

Teacher Ms. L.R. has been denied government employment by a corrupt system that objects to her political activism.

Government solicitors employed to repress dissent Ms Brus and her offsider
Government solicitors employed to repress dissent Ms Brus and her offsider


The N.S.W. government continues to be involved in corrupt behaviour by employing Soviet-style psychologists, psychiatrists and other doctors at HealthQuest, the government medical office of N.S.W. The former head of HealthQuest, English doctor HELIA GAPPER, was stood down following a public outcry but the new director, DR ARMAND CASOLIN employs the same policies. The most recent victim of HealthQuest is a social activist Ms L.R., a teacher who has been a ringleader in the fight against HealthQuest's human rights abuses for years. Ms L.R.'s latest 'crime' following her retirement in 2003 was to apply to work as a supply teacher. HealthQuest has for two years maintained she is 'sick'. Under F.O.I. legislation a document was found at HealthQuest naming Ms L.R. as an activist opposed to H.Q. Dr Casolin recently ordered Ms L.R. to attend appointments with no fewer than 4 practitioners at HealthQuest: a neurologist, a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a general practititoner. Ms L.R. has supplied medical certificates of fitness including one from a Commonwealth government body. She is working as a teacher in the private school system yet still HealthQuest continues to harass her and certify that she is unfit. The ultimate Soviet punishment - denying the worker a job.

Laurel O'Brien
- e-mail: louisa@aussiemail.com.au
- Homepage: http://www.wbde.org/

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

Erm...

17.10.2005 14:11

Okay, I give up. Could you tell us what Healthquest is - the Australian government's site is remarkably unspecific - and what the supposed human rights abuses were, please?

Observer


What is HealthQuest?

25.02.2006 11:39

HealthQuest if the N.S.W. government medical office. Until the 1980s or so, it was a genuine medical facility. It is now staffed with psychiatrists and psychologists willing to certify whistleblowers and other troublesome public servants 'insane' or otherwise 'unfit' for work.

Please see:

 http://www.wbde.org/
 http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/node/35310
 http://oldsydimc.cat.org.au/front.php3?article_id=64118

Also information can be found on Whistleblowers Australia websites.

Laurel
- Homepage: http://www.wbde.org/


Been there, done that...

16.05.2006 00:29

So good to see just the fraction of the 'dirt' exposed to much wider audience.
I lived through the Soviet system till late 70-ties, so I did through HQ 'Inquisitions' (twice).
I'd thought: I'll be safe in the 'Free-World' - I've learnt: same bottles, only different labels!
The issues raised could be 'funny'', if they wouldn't be down-right 'scary'..., and all of this still keeps on happening around us...
Will it ever stop? I sincerely hope so!


G. Michalik
mail e-mail: mihlx@yahoo.com.au


Dr Armand Casolin: a correction

17.10.2006 10:25

It was in fact DR DODWELL who tried to send the above person to several different specialists. Also the picture accompanying the original story was DR DODWELL, not Dr Casolin. Dr Casolin had left HealthQuest (very wisely) before the author of the above article realized. Dr Casolin was certainly certifying people unfit whom the government did not want to employ or re-employ, however, he was only at HealthQuest temporarily. In the end Dr Dodwell found the person fit for part time work with restrictions, but in documents found under FOI it was found he used the old 'get-the-whistleblower' term 'personality disorder'. This means "We don't like the way you think, therefore you must be mad".

Anonymous