Calls for intervention rejected by Premier

Sean Ford & Matt Maloney | The Advocate | 28 September 2022

“I’ve done the state a service and am being destroyed.”

“I don’t know why.”

Those are the words of the Ashley Youth Detention Centre whistleblower known as Alysha.

Independent MPs say a workers compensation matter is being weaponised against Alysha by the state despite her pivotal roles in former premier Peter Gutwein’s decision to close the centre and the origins of the Commission of Inquiry’s recent probing of Ashley abuse allegations.

It is understood the state government will appoint external lawyers to the case, removing its carriage from the Solicitor-General’s office.

Alysha on Wednesday said the workers compensation situation meant her young family was in danger of losing its house and the situation was damaging her health and hurting her family.

Asked about the matter on Monday, Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he clearly could not intervene in a workers compensation case and would not.

He was speaking after previous comments from Clark independent MHR Andrew Wilkie were put to him.

Mr Wilkie had said the government was weaponising Alysha’s workers compensation matter against her and it made a mockery of Mr Rockliff’s commitment to stopping institutional child abuse.

Mr Rockliff said he rejected those accusations.

On Wednesday, Mr Wilkie, Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb and Clark independent MHA Kristie Johnston fronted the media to appeal for the Premier’s intervention.

Ms Webb said somebody would exposed failures of government should not be punished through a process that was drawn out and unacceptably punitive.

“We’ve got a whistleblower in this state who has served our community bravely and well in exposing child abuse and is now being put through the wringer on her workers compensation claim with the state going to extreme lengths to make it as difficult as possible for her to have that resolved,” she said.

“What we’d like to see is the Premier step up and ensure that this matter is brought to a close promptly and compassionately.

“While of course, we wouldn’t expect to see political interference in the determination of a workers compensation claim, the Premier and the Attorney General are absolutely responsible for ensuring that the state acts as a model model litigant and that the process is undertaken fairly, compassionately, and appropriately.”

Mr Wilkie said all Alysha wanted was a fair workers compensation outcome so she could move on with her life.

“She is one of the most important witnesses to have appeared at the Commission of Inquiry and her testimony will be some of the most important,” he said.

Alysha said:

“Every (Ashley) case study presented by the Commission of Inquiry bar one was based on my reports.”

She said she had had to relive her traumatic time at Ashley during four psychiatric assessments, three of which were ordered by the authorities.

Alysha said the day after she gave evidence at the commission, the Solicitor-General’s office told her lawyers a further evaluation was required.

“They said if I didn’t comply, they would stop paying me entirely,” she said.

“I was having to decide between my health and keeping a roof over the family’s heads.”

The last psychological report they had was 34 pages long.

“They’ve got three very thorough reports in front of them by different doctors,” Alysha said.

Asked about the appointment of external counsel for Alysha’s case, a state government spokesperson said it would not be appropriate for the government to comment on individual cases through the media. They said it would not be appropriate for the government to intervene in active worker’s compensation claims, as it was important they were treated lawfully and fairly without political interference.

“The way the state government has been behaving with Alysha’s matter must surely deter anyone from stepping forward and blowing the whistle on wrongdoing, corruption, child abuse – all those things that ought to be called out.”

Lawyer Angela Sdrinis said in her 40 years of practice in Victorian and federal workers compensation jurisdictions, I have never seen anything like what Alysha has experienced in Tasmania with respect to the medical evaluation process.

See more of Meg in the media.