Ann Marie Smith trial conclusion must herald more fundamental changes in disability support and how neglect is understood

18 March 2022 

Statement from Robbi Williams, CEO, JFA Purple Orange: 

Rosa Maione, a person whose actions led to the death of Ann Marie Smith, has been sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for manslaughter. She is eligible for parole towards the end of her term, at which time she may be deported to Italy.  

The sentence seems inadequate, given the extent of publicly reported neglect revealed through legal proceedings, and we hope the prosecutor gives consideration to grounds for appealing the length of the sentence.  

Questions remain about whether Ann Marie’s possessions or assets were exploited or taken without her consent by a person or persons and we hope investigations will continue into these matters. We also understand that investigations into the actions of other parties are ongoing. 

Public reporting of an earlier hearing said Maione, through her legal team, sought to paint a picture of Ann Marie as a difficult person whose family were not involved in her life. To say such things is utterly shameful, and entirely irrelevant to the case. There is no justifiable excuse for what happened to Ann Marie. She died in awful circumstances, underlining  how people living with disability are often not seen as human beings, deserving of respect, and with rights, let alone as people deserving of a level of support that builds their valued membership of mainstream community life, as a neighbour, worker, friend, family member, club member, and all the other roles that most of us have in our lives. 

While imperative, it is simply not enough for disability service providers and their regulators to look at what happened to Ann Marie and to find ways to make sure they are supervising their workers so a person is receiving adequate physical care and is not at risk of being ripped off. Service providers must urgently think much harder about how to redesign their services so that people are authentically supported into those ordinary valued roles of life. Because that is also how services can best safeguard the people they support from the treatment meted out to Ann Marie. If service providers don’t do this, and if the regulator and the NDIS don’t explicitly demand it and measure it, then many people living with disability are at risk of continued disconnection, isolation, and lost opportunity. And that is profoundly neglectful. 

 

Media enquiries

Robbi Williams, CEO, JFA Purple Orange

Phone: 0401 123 426 

Email: robbiw@purpleorange.org.au