A complaint about alleged paedophile James Geoffrey Griffin may have been made to a local sporting organisation as far back as 2012, a budget estimates hearing has heard.
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Mr Griffin, formerly of Legana, died in October last year at age 69 before standing trial for numerous alleged child sex offences.
He worked on the children's ward at the Launceston General Hospital for nearly two decades, and also for about five months at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre in 2017.
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But Mr Griffin also held volunteer roles at the Northern Tasmanian Netball Association, the Devon Netball Association and two state league clubs.
Appearing before a budget estimates committee on Thursday, Communities Tasmania manager sport and recreation Helen Langenberg said after allegations about Mr Griffin were raised in a podcast this year, Netball Tasmania contacted the NTNA "to inquire whether there had been any complaints or issues".
"[We] were advised that there had not," Ms Langenberg said. "The record-keeping is very scant and very sketchy in earlier years."
"There are suggestions there may have been a complaint as early as 2012, but that has not been substantiated, and there is no documentation or emails to confirm that.
"Part of that is about the nature of a volunteer sport and recreation organisation using its own members' personal emails rather than an organisation email."
"Based on the further information that came to light, Netball Tasmania then recontacted the Northern Tasmanian Netball Association and asked it to take more rigour in perusing whether there had been allegations or suggestions of improper behaviour or any other issues they were previously unaware of or, in fact, denied had actually happened."
There are suggestions there may have been a complaint as early as 2012, but that has not been substantiated, and there is no documentation or emails to confirm that.
- Helen Langenberg, Communities Tasmania manager sport and recreation
The NTNA was contacted for comment.
Ms Langenberg said the NTNA had directed its members to report and disclose "incidences or suggestions of incidences, even if it was hearsay or scuttlebutt" to the commission of inquiry into historical allegations of child sex abuse in Tasmanian government institutions that was announced earlier this week.
Deputy Labor leader Michelle O'Byrne asked when Netball Tasmania had learned that Mr Griffin had been a volunteer with a number of netball clubs and organisations and Ms Langenberg said it had been informed on October 25, three days after the government announced an independent inquiry into Mr Griffin in his capacity as a former LGH employee.
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