It's great to read that somebody in the Rau family says it like it is. Not only the media has been irresponsible - what about the "Writer Festival" inviting Cornellia to be a guest speaker - what a stupid thing to do.
Rau's sister slams the media
24jul05
CORNELIA RAU's sister has accused the media of being irresponsible and unethical by interviewing the mentally ill woman when she was clearly unwell.
Christine Rau tonight spoke of her concerns about the media's recent treatment of her sister, who suffers from schizophrenia. She was referring to a recent newspaper report quoting Ms Rau as wanting $7 million in compensation from the federal government for being locked up as an illegal immigrant for 10 months and another quoting her as saying former Immigration Department chief Bill Farmer should be demoted.
"Cornelia is unwell," Christine Rau said.
"She needs time and space to recover. She may say things she doesn't mean or fully understand. She may say things that can be misinterpreted."
Christine Rau said now the Palmer report into Ms Rau's wrongful detention had been publicly released there was negligible public interest in pursuing her; "only public prurience".
She said questioning Ms Rau about issues like compensation and Mr Farmer's future was comparable with journalists asking a child for a quote on their legal matters, rather than the child's parents or lawyers.
Christine Rau said interviewing her sister was a possible breach of the journalists' code of ethics which prohibits journalists from exploiting vulnerable people or taking advantage of their ignorance of media practice.
"It's irresponsible and unethical to run quotes based on Cornelia's speculations on these matters when she hasn't even discussed them with lawyers yet," she said.
"She is a mental health patient with a guardian. Any other patient in her position would not be sought out for media attention."
Cornelia Rau's legal guardian John Harley, who is the South Australian public advocate, has the authority to veto media interviews with Cornelia, even if Cornelia initiates the interview.
"Mr Harley has said he does not consent to Cornelia giving media interviews at present," Christine Rau said, imploring the media to abide by that advice.
"Cornelia's statements about compensation, in particular, are embarrassing to her and are coloured by her perception of her illness as a seven-year conspiracy.
"Are journalists now going to descend on the too-few halfway houses that exist in Australia and ask all the other patients for their views on politics, the public service, and how much money they'd like the government to pay them?
"Sadly, as her latest escapades illustrate, there are no easy answers in treating people with her condition who are well in body, unwell in mind – and also in denial."
Ms Rau was last seen in Melbourne after travelling from Adelaide, where she is receiving treatment, to a writers' festival in Victoria in breach of a mental health order.
Lawyer Claire O'Connor said Ms Rau had not returned to Adelaide but was expected to do so in the next few days.
