Alcohol Problems
In June 2004, Hirsh was driving home from a Labor function when she was breath-tested and found to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .07, more than the legal driving limit of .05. Her licence was suspended for six months, and she was forced to resign from the Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee. In an odd coincidence, six weeks later, Andrew Olexander, the Liberal member for Silvan Province (there were two members for each Province in the Legislative Council) was also caught drink-driving, and received a similar penalty.
On 17 September 2004, Hirsh was again pulled over by police while driving, and was found to be driving while disqualified. The car she was driving also did not have a current registration sticker displayed, which is illegal, and it was reported that she gave police a false name. That night, Premier Steve Bracks publicly demanded that Hirsh quit the party, stating that "there is no room in the Labor Party for people who had so openly flouted the law". Despite pressure from the Labor Party and the media, Hirsh announced her intention to remain in Parliament as an independent. However, she continued to vote with the Labor Party, and her application in late 2005 to rejoin the Party was accepted. She rejoined on 10 November 2005, saying that the Labor Party is very much a part of "who she is".
In October 2004, Hirsh told The Age newspaper that she had been battling depression, caused by the suicide of her eldest daughter in 2001, and said that while this was not an excuse for her behaviour, it was the reason.
On 21 June 2006, she was again found by police to have been driving under the influence of alcohol with a BAC of .065, and is expected to be charged on summons for drink driving. Premier Steve Bracks announced that Hirsh had admitted herself to a hospital for psychiatric treatment, and that he would move to expel her from the Labor Party caucus a second time. She resigned from the party on 24 June.
Read more about this topic: Carolyn Hirsh
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