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The Tasmanian Government, together with the Parliament, unreservedly apologises to all victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in Tasmanian Government institutions.
Members of the Parliament of Tasmania stand united in this House today.
We have failed you, we are all accountable, and we are sorry.
Our institutions have a responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, and our institutions have clearly failed in that responsibility.
No child should experience sexual abuse, or any other form of abuse.
No child who has been abused should ever experience a response that rejects or minimises their experience, and no child should be silenced or punished.
We are deeply sorry that our institutions violated your trust when they should have been places you could feel safe, supported, and protected.
We are sorry for failing in our responses to the abuse, for causing you further harm through our responses, and failing to meet your and our community’s expectations.
We express our sincere sorrow and regret, for those who came to us and were not believed and supported, at the time when they needed us most.
To those who were also abused after being placed in our care, we are sorry; sorry for the actions we, and successive Governments did not take, that might have led to your safety.
And, we are sorry for actions that have had the effect of protecting abusers and shielding institutions from accountability.
We have failed you, and we accept responsibility.
Today, we acknowledge the pain and suffering and the enduring impact of trauma on your health and wellbeing; on your life; and on the lives of your loved ones.
We apologise for the loss of trust and safety in this world.
We apologise for the potential that has been lost and the things that were stolen from you, that you can never get back.
We also acknowledge that trauma can affect relationships and generations.
That is why we extend our apology to your children, your partners, parents, siblings, your families and friends; all those people who have been impacted by what happened to you.
We would also like to extend an apology to those who spoke up to protect our children only for those concerns to be ignored.
You were also let down by the system.
Today, we are also saying thank you, to those who demonstrated enormous bravery in sharing their lived experience through the Inquiry and having to re-live some of the most harrowing moments of your lives.
It is because of you, that there is a genuine commitment to real change, meaning other children and young people will be protected from experiencing the abuse, you endured.
I would also like to thank the victim-survivors who gave up some of their time to share their thoughts about what today’s Apology needs to be, to have meaning for you.
We acknowledge that there are many more who did not feel able to, or chose not to, speak to the Commission.
Today, we also acknowledge the many victim-survivors who have not ever spoken of their abuse. We will believe you, and we will be here to support you also, should you choose to come forward in the future.
Your experiences are equally important.
With a heavy heart, I want to recognise those victims who tragically are no longer with us. They are not here to see the failings of Government institutions brought to light, nor to see the Parliament of Tasmania apologise, take accountability, and commit to action.
Today we remember them, and extend this apology to their families and friends many of whom have worked tirelessly to ensure their voices and experiences are heard.
To you all, I say I have listened and I have learned.
Over the past eight months – throughout this Inquiry – we have heard about a very dark chapter in Tasmania’s history.
It’s a chapter no-one should ever, ever forget. And today we give a solemn undertaking to all Tasmanians, to never, ever allow a repeat of this abuse, secrecy and suppression.
To never, ever allow a repeat of the failures that allowed such abuse to occur.
Our Government is acutely aware of the enormous responsibility to act swiftly and decisively to implement the Commission’s recommendations.
And this Parliament is acutely aware of its responsibility to ensure that the changes made to protect children and young people in this State are enduring, for all time.
While regrettably we cannot change what has happened, we can determine what happens next.
This Parliament will be defined by the actions we take now to ensure that the injustices perpetrated by Tasmanian Government institutions, can never ever happen again.
We know that we must do better to protect all children in Tasmania from abuse, and that our actions must give meaning to this apology.
We have listened to those who gave evidence and as a result commenced work on a number of interim actions, where it is clear we can and should, make those changes now.
For the same reason we are saying sorry now – it is never too early to acknowledge wrongs, and apologise.
We have heard you through the hearings, we believe you, and we are deeply sorry for what you have endured.
We know there is still much more work to do, and we are committed to making the changes required to ensure Tasmania is a safer place for all children and young people.
Mr Speaker, I believe it is also important for everyone listening today to understand that child safety is everyone’s responsibility.
If you have a concern about a child.
When your feelings or intuition tells you something isn’t right.
Do not hesitate.
Take action.
No concern is too minor.
Silence allows abuse to continue.
So please, report your concerns.
It is only by working together with a shared sense of purpose, that we will make Tasmania a safer place for all.
Mr Speaker, we are all accountable, we all take responsibility, and we are all deeply sorry.
