Media and public asked to respect Wong children's privacy

10/11/95

Family and Children's Services Minister Roger Nicholls has asked that the media and the public respect the privacy of the children of the late Mr and Mrs Wong.

Mr Nicholls said staff from his department were involved with the children, the family, the family's lawyer and other people with a significant role in their lives to help them through their extremely difficult situation.

"The children are facing a situation that most of us could not adequately imagine, and it is important that they be left in private to deal with their situation with the support of those who can help them," he said.

"The best interests of the children, both immediate and long-term, will be uppermost in all considerations about their future.

"Respect for the children's privacy would include not using any identifying information such as pictures or film."

Mr Nicholls said that the department would continue to work harmoniously with the family's lawyer, but he wished that he (the lawyer) would refrain from idle speculation about what might have prevented this double tragedy.

"The Government has not cut 'people' services as the lawyer claims, and it really is going into the twilight zone to try to lay this sort of tragedy at the feet of the government or the medical profession or anyone else," the Minister said.

"The human race does not have the answers to all its problems and this habitual process of trying to find someone to blame only interferes with our ability to deal with the problems at hand."

Media contact: Hugh Ryan 221 5468