Bartlett scoffs at Rockliff’s ‘rubbish’ whistleblower claim

A former premier has scoffed at the state government’s claims it cannot intervene in the long-running workers compensation case of a youth detention whistleblower.

Ex-Labor premier David Bartlett on Thursday tweeted that the Ashley Youth Detention Centre whistleblower known as Alysha had been tortured enough.

“Time to show some compassion,” he tweeted.

“I do not believe this ‘we can’t intervene’ rubbish.

“Clients instruct lawyers all the time and it happens every day in government.”

Mr Bartlett hit out after human rights lawyer Kieran Pender said the Rockliff Government’s treatment of Alysha sent a message it was unwilling to support people who spoke up against wrongdoing.

The government declined to respond directly to Mr Bartlett’s comments, saying its comments remained the same (as in its response to Mr Pender).

In that response, Premier Jeremy Rockliff said: “Our position has consistently been that workers compensation claims must be treated lawfully and fairly, free from any political interference.”

“It would not be appropriate for any member of the government or parliament to intervene in this or any other workers compensation claim.”

Alysha was recently forced to a sixth psychiatric assessment related to her workers compensation case.

She said it left her re-traumatised and hospitalised.

Independent Nelson MLC Meg Webb said it was “particularly disturbing to see a whistleblower be subjected to what looks like punitive legal action by the state because we need people to step forward and identify when abuse is occurring in our state systems”.

Alysha has raised concerns about alleged sexual and other assaults at Ashley and was a key witness of the Commission of Inquiry into the government’s responses to child sexual abuse in institutional settings.

See more of Meg in the media.