Commissioner for Children and Young People Leanne McLean resigns from role

The trail of senior officials resigning continues with the Commissioner for Children and Young People the latest to move on from the role she’s served in for five and a half years.

Children's Commissioner of Tasmania Leanne McLean. Picture: pool/ABC

Tasmania’s Commissioner for Children and Young People has announced her resignation less than nine months into her second five-year term.

Leanne McLean announced she would leave the position she has held since 2018 to become the Director of the Peter Underwood Centre at the University of Tasmania.

She said she will take leave from June 30 and her resignation will take effect from October.

“It has been a great honour and a privilege to serve as Commissioner for the past five and a half years, and to have been Tasmania’s longest serving Commissioner,” she said in a statement.

Leanne McLean Tasmania's Commissioner for Children and Young People. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“I am extraordinarily grateful to have been guided by the wisdom, knowledge and energy of the many children and young people who have helped me fulfil this role on behalf of all young Tasmanians.

“I have also been supported by a team of dedicated expert staff who are deeply committed to making Tasmania a better place for our children and young people to grow and thrive.

“The past five years have been a time of extraordinary focus and change for the children and young people of Tasmania, and significant policy and legislative changes aimed at improving their rights and wellbeing have already been achieved or have been committed to during my time as Commissioner.

“Tasmania is at a precipice and the decisions and actions taken now, will have ramifications for years to come. Bravery and determination will be required to realise the changes needed.”

Ms McLean was Jeremy Rockliff’s chief of staff from 2016 to 2018 before becoming Commissioner for Children and Young People.

She is one of a number of senior public servants who appeared before the Commission of Inquiry to announce career changes in recent months.

Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Jenny Gale retired shortly after the state election and Health Department Secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks was promoted to the role.

She was followed by Justice Department Secretary Ginna Webster. Integrity Commissioner Michael Easton left in April.

The Commission of Inquiry recommended a new Commission for Children and Young People be established with expended powers, along with a new Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People and a new independent Child Advocate.

“The government has indicated its intention to establish a new Commission for Children and Young People. I have long advocated for this and remain very supportive,” she said.

“Now is the right time for me to step away from this role, to enable the establishment of the new Commission and the recruitment of the new statutory officers that will make up that new Commission.”

Premier Jeremy Rockliff thanked Ms McLean for her service.

“Ms McLean has supported the Government to deliver important change to improve the wellbeing of young people, including through the It Takes a Tasmanian Village strategy,” he said.

“Ms McLean has been strident in placing enormous importance on listening to the voices of children and young people, as evidenced by her work in setting up the youth Ambassador Program.

“Ms McLean can and should be very proud of her contribution, and we wish Ms McLean all the very best for future endeavours.”

Isabelle Compton will be the Acting Commissioner for Children and Young People while Ms McLean is on leave.