ABC Digital News-Dozens of Tasmanian public servants under internal investigation due to adverse findings of child sexual abuse inquiry

• In short: Tasmania’s Commission of Inquiry (COI) identified 22 public servants who had allegedly committed child sexual abuse, and 42 who failed to take proper steps to prevent abuse or act on allegations.
• More than six months after the COI report was handed down, 28 are still employed and under internal investigation, while 20 left before an investigation could be finished.
• What’s next? The government says it’s asked for investigations to be finished more quickly, and is set to implement 44 of 48 phase one recommendations by the July deadline.

Almost half of the public servants identified in Tasmania’s child sexual abuse commission of inquiry are still employed and under internal investigation, six months after the release of the inquiry’s report, the premier says.

The inquiry’s report identified 22 public servants who had allegedly committed child sexual abuse, plus 42 who had allegedly failed to take proper steps to act on allegations or prevent abuse from occurring.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said four government employees identified as alleged child sexual abuse offenders in the inquiry’s report have had their employment terminated and two have been convicted.

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Of the 22 alleged perpetrators, just two have been convicted and charged, while four workers had their employment terminated following an internal disciplinary process.

Another four workers remain suspended while investigations continue, while eight employees resigned before internal investigations began.

Three employees were cleared to return to work after being found not to have breached the state service code of conduct, while one is dead.

Of the other 42 government employees not accused of child sexual abuse offending, 24 current or former staff members are either being assessed for investigation, or an investigation is underway.

Just one of the 42 was found to have breached the code of conduct, but faced disciplinary action other than termination.

Twelve employees resigned before investigations could be completed, and two are dead, while three public servants faced no action once investigations finished.

In their words: The harrowing stories told to the commission of inquiry

Over nine weeks of hearings, witnesses told of how a paedophile nurse was left to operate inside a children’s ward, how school children were not believed, and about widescale abuse facing youth detainees in a “monster” prison.

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said it is “astonishing” that there’s “been so little accountability for those that engaged in and covered up child sexual abuse”.

“Victim survivors relived so much trauma and whistleblowers showed so much bravery giving evidence to the [COI],” she said.

“They did so to protect children in future, but they also expected to see some real consequences for people who were involved.

“It’s hard to understand how so few people have faced real consequences following the COI. We are not satisfied with the partial justifications offered by the government.”

It took a call between two old housemates to expose a paedophile and change a state forever

That a paedophile had worked on a kid’s hospital ward for almost 20 years was Launceston’s worst-kept secret. Then one call changed everything, setting in motion a series of events that would alter Tasmania forever.

Independent upper house MP Meg Webb said seeing alleged perpetrators and abuse enablers held to account was extremely important for victim-survivors.

“We’ve seen next to nothing on that front yet, and the processes are still ongoing, the delay is too long,” she said.

Mr Rockliff said he’d asked new Department of Premier and Cabinet chief executive Kathrine Morgan-Wicks to “consider the status of all Commission of Inquiry assessments”, improve the timeliness of outcomes, and to improve greater transparency around reporting.

He said a lack of terminations did not mean action was not occurring.

“Strong action has been taken and will continue to ensure Tasmanian children and young people are safe and well in our care,” he said.

• Sexual assault support services:
  Sexual Assault Support Service (Tasmania): 1800 697 877
  1800 Respect national helpline: 1800 737 732
  Sexual Assault Counselling Australia: 1800 211 028
  Bravehearts (support for child sexual abuse survivors): 1800 272 831
  Other helplines:
  Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
  Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
  Tasmania’s Victims of Crime Service: 1300 300 238
  CLAN Care Leavers Australia Network 1800 008 774

Government to meet deadline for almost all recommendations
Mr Rockliff said the government would successfully implement 44 of 48 “phase one” recommendations by the July 1 deadline.

But the early state election — held on March 23, more than a year earlier than scheduled — meant the other four recommendations would be delayed.

“These recommendations have been impacted by the suspension of legislative drafting processes that occurs during caretaker period,” he said.

Mr Rockliff said the government was committed to getting the response “right”, and the delayed recommendations — which include funding for out of home care reforms and establishing a statutory commission for children and young people — would be complete by September.

Labor justice spokeswoman Rebecca White said Mr Rockliff chose to call an early election “instead of prioritising the wellbeing of children”.

“I think that is shameful,” she said.

“Despite the repeated assurances this premier’s given Tasmanians that he prioritises the wellbeing of children above all else, when it came to the crunch, he prioritised his political future above them.”

Dr Woodruff said Mr Rockliff had previously guaranteed that an early election would not have an impact on the government’s response to the commission’s report, and called on him to correct the record.

Nine recommendations have been completed so far, but Mr Rockliff said 35 more would be done by July.