Media Release: Govt Fails Commission Cultural Change Test at First Step
Premier Fails Cultural Change Test: Can’t Guarantee Those on Commission List Not Involved in Formulating Government Response
5 December 2023
Government commitments to cultural change in light of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Response to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings, are losing credibility in light of the Premier’s bombshell revelation that he cannot guarantee that state servants identified by the Commission may be involved in drafting and implementing the government response, said Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb MLC.
“The Premier’s performance at the Government Response committee scrutiny hearing was nothing short of shocking and flabbergasting. Sadly, it appears this government is failing the meaningful cultural change test already,” Ms Webb said.
“Premier Rockliff failed to guarantee that any individuals identified by the Commission as actual or potential recipients of misconduct or adverse finding notices were not involved in drafting the government’s response to the Commission’s Recommendations, and nor would they be involved in delivering the Implementation Plan.
“This is on top of the gobsmacking revelation that the Premier has failed to demand to see the list of names of state servants against whom the Commission was intending or considering to pursue misconduct and adverse processes, which was provided to the state in April.
“It is extraordinary that eight months later the Premier has still not demanded to see that list.
“At best, this smacks of a dire lack of curiosity, at worst it looks like deliberate deniability – both identified by the Commission as contributing to harmful opaque cultures which enable abuse to occur.
“Why hasn’t the Premier demanded to see that list, and will he now seek to do so as a matter of urgency?
“It is unfathomable the Premier can acknowledge that trust is broken between the state and victims/survivors, while failing to grasp that attempts to rebuild that trust cannot occur until these basic questions are answered, without spin and obfuscation.
“Premier Rockliff must move to immediately clarify whether any of the individuals identified by the Commission either in its Final Report, or on the list provided to state lawyers in April, have participated in the Government’s response to the Inquiry Recommendations, and guarantee they will not have any role in delivering the Implementation Plan.
“Government commitments to cultural change ring hollow when simple actions demonstrating accountability and responsibility appear paralysed,” Ms Webb said.
The Premier confirmed in the House of Assembly on November the 2nd this year that the Commission of Inquiry provided state lawyers in April a list of 22 state servants against whom it was intending or considering to make misconduct or adverse findings, but which it was prevented from concluding due to identified impediments relating to the Commissions of Inquiry Act 2009 and interpretations insisted on by the state’s lawyers.
