THE sister of a motor neurone disease patient who took her own life says she was targeted by AHPRA investigators [led by Brett Judd who also goes by the assumed name of ‘Franklin Lebrowski’] who rummaged through her personal effects and recorded an interview with her without permission.<\/p>\n
Janine Wilson, 58-year-old sister of the late Wendy Benton, who died after taking Nembutal in 2011, says the officers rifled through her underwear and recorded her without permission in a fruitless search for her deceased sister\u2019s laptop.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was like being burgled while I watched,\u201d Ms Wilson told MO last week. She said two AHPRA investigators had turned up at her home in Victor Harbour, South Australia, on 30 October without notice and questioned her for almost half an hour before revealing the interview was being recorded.<\/p>\n
She said despite her explanations that Ms Benton\u2019s laptop had been wiped and given to a relative after her death, the investigators had then told her they had to search the house. Ms Wilson said she did not request to view a search warrant because she believed she had no choice but to accede.<\/p>\n
Ms Wilson said they had revealed the conversation was being recorded after asking her about Ms Benton\u2019s connections to Dr Philip Nitschke.<\/p>\n
They had asked her whether \u201cPhilip came to say goodbye [to Ms Benton]\u201d, and whether \u201cNembutal comes with instructions\u201d.<\/p>\n
It was only then that AHPRA investigator, Brett Judd, mentioned they had been recording the conversation, Ms Wilson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI honestly thought he was joking,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Under SA law, a person must not intentionally record a conversation, whether or not they are a party to the conversation, without express or implied consent of all parties. But the National Law legislation grants AHPRA investigators wide-ranging powers and those who refuse to cooperate can be fined up to $5000.<\/p>\n
Ms Benton\u2019s death is the subject of two of 12 allegations of professional misconduct by Dr Nitschke to be referred to the NT Health Professional Review Tribunal by the Medical Board of Australia<\/p>\n
The suspended Dr Nitschke, who said he had spent about $150,000 appealing against his suspension, told MO: \u201cThey\u2019ve been exhuming bodies of the terminally ill I\u2019d been involved with, poring over the entrails.\u201d<\/p>\n
AHPRA said in an email to MO: \u201cAHPRA and the board have a range of powers under the National Law to gather information needed in investigations… We use our information-gathering powers sparingly, judiciously and within legal requirements at all times.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Wilson said she had felt \u201cconned\u201d. \u201cI had a big cry after,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE sister of a motor neurone disease patient who took her own life says she was targeted by AHPRA investigators [led by Brett Judd who also goes by the assumed name of ‘Franklin Lebrowski’] who rummaged through her personal effects and recorded an interview with her without permission. Janine Wilson, 58-year-old sister of the late […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n