Tasmanian victim-survivors of institutional child sexual abuse feel they are being kept in the dark as they wait for the Commission of Inquiry to deliver its final report ahead of the formal closing of the inquiry this week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Legal firm Arnold, Thomas & Becker principal lawyer Kelly Schober said victim-survivors were hoping to see recommendations in the final report that included direct and personal apologies to survivors, access to tailored support services and further screening of staff that work with children.
The Commission of Inquiry will provide its closing statements on Wednesday morning ahead of formally concluding its work on Thursday.
Their final report will be handed to the Governor on August 31, who will legally review the document before it is tabled in parliament on or before September 28.
Ms Schober said victim-survivors felt like they've been kept in the dark and held concerns about the planned legal redaction of the report that will occur at the hand of the Governor.
"The report is supposed to be a significant impetus for institutional change and accountability, the COI has exposed an outrageous institutional history of cover-ups, dismissals, miserable failings and virtually no accountability," she said.
"The report ought to be absolutely transparent and thus in an unredacted form."
Ms Schober said some of its clients were feeling anxious in the lead up to the report being handed down and felt that the government response, to date, had not helped them.
"Victim-survivors want the government to spell out exactly when the Commission of Inquiry report will be released and what assistance and supports will be made available to those most profoundly affected," she said.
"They otherwise eagerly await the government's response to various recommendations and whether they will actually be implemented to prevent the absolute horror and devastation which happened to them from repeating itself."
Ms Schober said many did not know what to expect, nor how they will feel, when they hear the outcomes of the inquiry.
"The inquiry has provided some hope for a response from the government that recognises how they've been let down and that finally their complaints are being investigated," she said.
"However, with this comes expectation and so there is the possibility that the government response could fall short of our client's expectations.
"We have pushed for the implementation of various recommendations which we believe are absolutely fundamental to ensuring that these very grave and beyond devastating state failings are never ever repeated and to ensure those children in the state's care are safeguarded and protected."
Specifically, Ms Schober said they wanted to see recommendations such as;
- apologies to the survivors - direct and personal;
- access to tailored support services for survivors;
- better protection for children against child abuse in the future - rigid processes to explore any complaints from children and their families and to investigate potential offenders;
- best practice in reporting of and responding to complaints or allegations of abuse in institutional contexts;
- eliminate or reduce impediments that currently exist for responding appropriately to child sexual abuse in institutional contexts;
- further screening of staff that work with children;
- documentation of any contact that children have with institution staff outside for the institutional setting;
- more support in institutional settings for vulnerable children and those with special needs;
- and more appropriate sentencing for paedophiles.
Closing statements from the three Commission of Inquiry commissioners will be heard from 10am.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.examiner.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @examineronline
- Follow us on Instagram: @examineronline
- Follow us on Google News: The Examiner
