The confronting findings of an independent inquiry into the Education Department’s responses to child sexual abuse require immediate action.
Shadow Education Minister Josh Willie and Shadow Child Safety Minister Sarah Lovell said the report contained extremely disturbing information about sexual abuse within the school system dating back decades, including serious claims that it had not been acted on.
Mr Willie said crucially the recommendations included basic yet common-sense measures which should be implemented as a priority to ensure Tasmanian children in the public school system were safeguarded against the potential for abuse.
“This report is welcome but it underlines that the safety and well-being of Tasmanian children needs to be the government’s highest priority,” Mr Willie said.
“This report contains extremely disturbing evidence and the government needs to assure Tasmanians it will not merely accept its recommendations but act upon them in an urgent way.
“We have to do better by children and these recommendations include fundamental things the government should be doing, including working closely with schools, principals and Tasmania Police to implement measures which safeguard children from the threat of abuse from first occurring.
“Safeguarding is essential as well as fundamental to ensuring all kids are safe at school and the Education Minister Sarah Courtney and the Attorney-General Elise Archer should be treating these recommended reforms with urgency.”
Ms Lovell said it was thanks to the bravery of survivors of sexual abuse that the report had been delivered and the government needed to be listening.
“The safety and well-being of children needs to come first in our schools,” Ms Lovell said.
“We have to listen to our young people and we have to provide assurances that if anyone raises concerns about their safety, those concerns will be will be believed and acted upon.
“The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse highlighted the bravery of survivors in coming forward.
“Survivors of abuse in Tasmania can now be assured they will be heard as the findings of this independent Education Department inquiry are passed to the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings.”
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Minister for Education and Early Years
Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Minister for Child Safety
