Martin Whitely
Encyclopedia
Martin Paul Whitely was born on 19 October 1959 in Perth
, Australia
. He has been a Labor
member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
since February 2001. He represented the electorate of Roleystone
from 2001 to 2005 and, following the abolition of Roleystone, has represented the electorate of Bassendean
since 2005.
Whitely was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry from August 2006 until the Carpenter government
lost office in September 2008.
Before Whitely entered parliament the number of Western Australians prescribed ADHD stimulants was 20,648 (year 2000). The WA Health Department estimated 85-90% (approximately 18,000) were children. Western Australian prescribing rates continued to grow until the introduction of tighter ADHD amphetamine prescribing accountability measures in late 2003. Since then child prescribing rates in WA have fallen significantly with 5,666 children on stimulants in 2008.
The 2008 Australian Secondary Students' Alcohol and Drug Survey (ASSAD) data indicated a reduction in 'last month amphetamine abuse' by WA school children 12-17 years old from 10.3 per cent in 2002, to 6.5 per cent in 2005, and 5.1 per cent in 2008. Whitely claims ‘this evidence supports the commonsense proposition that prescribing amphetamines facilitates their abuse’.
Whitely has authored a book 'Speed Up and Sit Still - The Controversies of ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment' and a web resource critical of the marketing of ADHD (http://www.speedupsitstill.com). All authors payments from sales of the book are donated to Drug Free Attention Difficulties Support Inc. (http://www.dfads.org.au). DFADS is a not for profit support group established by Whitely in 2003 in order to support parents wishing to take drug free approaches to helping children with attentional difficulties.
Whitely has no medical training. His opposition to the use of ADHD medications stems from his time working as a high school teacher from 1995 to 2001, when he was concerned at the number of heavily medicated boys in his classroom. Despite internet reports to the contrary, Whitely claims he is not a Scientologist and has no commercial interest in ADHD. However on December 17, 2005, Whitely was partly funded by a Scientologist organisation, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights
, to speak at the opening of Psychiatry: An Industry of Death
, an anti-psychiatry museum. http://www.rehabilitatenz.co.nz/pages4/cchr-museum.html.
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He has been a Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
since February 2001. He represented the electorate of Roleystone
Electoral district of Roleystone
Roleystone was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1989 to 2005.The district was based in the outer south-eastern suburbs and hinterland of Perth, including the south-eastern corner of the Metropolitan Region Scheme...
from 2001 to 2005 and, following the abolition of Roleystone, has represented the electorate of Bassendean
Electoral district of Bassendean
The Electoral district of Bassendean is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.The district is based in the eastern suburbs of Perth. It is a safe Labor seat.-Geography:...
since 2005.
Whitely was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry from August 2006 until the Carpenter government
Carpenter Ministry
The Carpenter Ministry was the 34th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, and was led by Labor Premier Alan Carpenter and his deputy Eric Ripper...
lost office in September 2008.
Anti-ADHD Child Drugging Advocacy
When elected in 2001, Mr Whitely advocated for tighter stimulant prescribing controls arguing Western Australia (WA) had excessive ADHD child prescribing rates.Before Whitely entered parliament the number of Western Australians prescribed ADHD stimulants was 20,648 (year 2000). The WA Health Department estimated 85-90% (approximately 18,000) were children. Western Australian prescribing rates continued to grow until the introduction of tighter ADHD amphetamine prescribing accountability measures in late 2003. Since then child prescribing rates in WA have fallen significantly with 5,666 children on stimulants in 2008.
The 2008 Australian Secondary Students' Alcohol and Drug Survey (ASSAD) data indicated a reduction in 'last month amphetamine abuse' by WA school children 12-17 years old from 10.3 per cent in 2002, to 6.5 per cent in 2005, and 5.1 per cent in 2008. Whitely claims ‘this evidence supports the commonsense proposition that prescribing amphetamines facilitates their abuse’.
Whitely has authored a book 'Speed Up and Sit Still - The Controversies of ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment' and a web resource critical of the marketing of ADHD (http://www.speedupsitstill.com). All authors payments from sales of the book are donated to Drug Free Attention Difficulties Support Inc. (http://www.dfads.org.au). DFADS is a not for profit support group established by Whitely in 2003 in order to support parents wishing to take drug free approaches to helping children with attentional difficulties.
Whitely has no medical training. His opposition to the use of ADHD medications stems from his time working as a high school teacher from 1995 to 2001, when he was concerned at the number of heavily medicated boys in his classroom. Despite internet reports to the contrary, Whitely claims he is not a Scientologist and has no commercial interest in ADHD. However on December 17, 2005, Whitely was partly funded by a Scientologist organisation, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights
Citizens Commission on Human Rights
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights is an advocacy group established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Thomas Szasz. The group promotes several video campaigns which support views against psychiatry...
, to speak at the opening of Psychiatry: An Industry of Death
Psychiatry: An Industry of Death
Psychiatry: An Industry of Death is a museum in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA, as well as several touring exhibitions. It is owned and operated by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights , an anti-psychiatry organization founded by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Thomas Szasz...
, an anti-psychiatry museum. http://www.rehabilitatenz.co.nz/pages4/cchr-museum.html.