Victor P Taffa

For the second time in my life some people in both the New South Wales (NSW) Labor Party and NSW Police have overseen my forced hospitalisation in the Parkview Unit, Macquarie Psychiatric Hospital, North Ryde, Sydney.

Royal North Shore Hospital 2010

The drama with RNSH began in September 2009. I had a consultation with them and they were getting on my nerves. I did not attend a December 2009 consultation.

On more than one occasion since 2007 I had said “I do not want to be a professional patient.”

Instead of concern for my welfare some people sought to place me in a Psychiatric Hospital because they did not want me in Parliament. I had a green R.T.A. driving form to be filled out on an annual basis. This was required because I had suffered seizures that were not caused by epilepsy.

During a visit to RNSH I asked about a return to Taxi Driving. The Doctor said “Victor I had a patient who suffered seizures and I let him return to driving.” I was never afforded this luxury.

In March 2009 the completion of the form was a formality however in 2010 RNSH wanted to try to stop me from going to Newcastle. On 5 March 2010 RNSH ‘grilled me’ and when I got home the Ryde Community Mental Health Team were at my door. On March 5 2010 RNSH Registrar Psychologist Doctor said “We can organise someone up there for you.”

This was in reference to having a Community Mental Health Team looking after me in Newcastle. I had mentioned that I would be contesting the seat of Newcastle at the 2011 State election. RNSH opposed my desire to ever serve in Parliament. RNSH had already decided to have me ‘rounded up’ long before 26 March 2010.

Looking back on the events from September 2009 and 5 March 2010 onwards it would appear as though some people sought to recreate as close as possible the conditions of my health of 2007.

Royal North Shore Hospital 2007

In late May 2007 I was driving a taxi and felt unwell on the Thursday. I took the Friday off and went to the Blue Mountains to Leura with Mum, Dad and my Sister. Had I not gone with my family to Leura they would have come home to find me dead.

During the weekend I continued to feel unwell and my balance disappeared. I could not feed myself and the family were concerned at my state. During the Saturday night I went to the toilet in the middle of the night and became disorientated. In the morning the family found me curled up in a corner of the bedroom as I was unable to get back into the bed.

The family rang my first cousin who is a Doctor and he advised the family to get me to Royal North Shore Hospital.

I was taken to RNSH and to this day do not remember the trip from Leura to ST. Leonards. The Doctors’ diagnosed Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome. I was asked and agreed to a HIV blood test. Many days later and while still in the dark as to the result I followed the Doctors’ around the ward asking about the result. Doctors’ did not put me on HIV medication immediately and I questioned the Social Worker as to when this would occur.

Looking back on what has occurred at both Ryde Hospital and RNSH it is obvious that Doctors’ and Nurses’ are homophobic and this coloured their treatment of me.

My blood test results indicated how ill I really was and almost clinically dead. I remained in RNSH for 3 weeks and once HIV medication began to start to heal me I suffered seizures in July 2007. I suffered these alone initially and always at night and while awake.

The first sign of a seizure was when you start to drop something out of your hand without explanation. Paper slipped out of my hand and I went to bed. I rang my parents and they advised me to keep warm. I rang 000 and the Ambulance took me to Ryde Hospital. I would suffer further seizures while awake and one seizure while asleep. Further seizures occurred until the Valpro was increased to 2,000 mg a day. My last seizure was in September 2007. The seizures were brought on by a Cryptococcal infection on the left hand side of my brain. A registrar Doctor asked me if I wanted to have brain surgery to which I declined. I have had five MRI’s as at May 2010.

During August 2007 I picked up an infection while in RNSH when my health was not the best. On the right side of my right big toe I developed Parony Chia. (Pronounced Paranickia). The infection spread to both toenails. Doctors’ wanted to remove both my toenails. In 2009 I opted for a wedge rescission operation on both big toes.

Ryde Hospital 2007

While at Ryde Hospital I had my HIV medication brought into the Hospital that I had paid for. Upon discharge both my sister and I requested to get my medication back which the Hospital refused.

Macquarie Psychiatric Hospital 2003

According to a reliable source then State Member for Ryde John Watkins allegedly signed a court order to place me in Macquarie Hospital. At this time I was not on appropriate medication.  The first time that I met former Ryde MP John Watkins was at his electorate office when I released my Sydney Metropolitan railway maps in January 2001. 

In June 2008 I convened a public meeting of Darvall Road residents regarding traffic and pedestrian safety. After resigning from Parliament John Watkins became CEO of Alzheimer Australia on land adjacent to Macquarie Hospital. On the night of the 2007 Federal election John Watkins was celebrating at the defeat of then Prime Minister John Howard in his seat of Bennelong.

Local Government Election Timetable Delays

Local Government elections for New South Wales were scheduled for September 2003. Then NSW Premier Bob Carr decided to postpone the elections until March 2004 so as to be in line with State elections every four years.

As I had a campaign brochure printed and money of my own spent “I ran myself ragged” campaigning for an election that was to be postponed. Those who knew about the delay deliberately did not tell me. These same people oppose The Southern Thunderer and blocked Victor P Taffa from becoming a member of the Sydney and Canberra Press Galleries.

On 11 December 2003 my landlord let in the NSW Police who handcuffed me and took me to Macquarie Hospital against my will. I was what am called an Involuntary Patient. The false election campaign and not being on appropriate medication led to my forced hospitalisation. On 22 December 2003 I was discharged just in time for Christmas.

In March 2004 I paid for new campaign brochures and contested the Ryde Local Government elections.

The NSW Labor Government again altered the election timetable so the next NSW Local Government elections would be held in September 2008.  

There are a number of other issues that require discussion relating to some people in society and Mental Health.

Had I never contested Public elections it is highly unlikely that I would ever have been placed in a Psychiatric Hospital. It is obvious that some people in both the NSW Labor Party and NSW Police are bigoted, racist and homophobic against me personally. In a perfect world everyone likes everybody. Had Sir Winston Churchill been locked up in a Psychiatric Hospital Great Britain would never have won World War II.

When the history of the NSW Labor Government from 1995-2011 is written it will be noted for only two achievements: Placing Victor P Taffa in Macquarie Psychiatric Hospital in 2003 and 2010.