Liberals only party that cares about kids, minister says amid child rape allegations
The Liberal Party is the only party that cares about fighting child sexual abuse, a senior minister has claimed, as the government resists calls for a public Commission of Inquiry into child abuse. LATEST >>
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THE Liberal Party is the only party that cares about fighting child sexual abuse, a senior minister has claimed, as the government resists calls for a public Commission of Inquiry into child abuse in government agencies.
Separate inquiries have been set up into abuse and cover-ups in the education system, in health and at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre.
But Labor and the Greens are demanding a Commission of Inquiry with broad terms of reference to examine all claims of abuse — and the responses from within government.
A Commission of Inquiry, the Tasmanian equivalent of a Royal Commission, would have the power to hold public hearings, to compel witnesses to give evidence and produce documents.
There have been two similar inquiries held by Tasmania in the last 30 years.
A Commission of Inquiry was held in 2000 into the death of Joseph Gilewicz, who was shot dead by a police sniper during a siege nine years earlier.
And in 1990, the Carter Royal Commission investigated an attempt to bribe a member of parliament to cross the floor after the 1989 election.
Senior Liberal Minister Michael Ferguson said the government was taking the issue extremely seriously.
“We’re a government that really cares. We’re the only side of politics that actually gives a damn about victims of child sexual abuse,” he said.
“We’re the only ones that want to have guaranteed jail times, minimum four years, for paedophiles.
“The premier has been clear that if a higher-level inquiry were ever needed, he will do it.
“This government is absolutely determined to stamp out child sexual abuse. And where we see abuses occurring, it is a crime, it is against the law.”
Labor’s Sarah Lovell said the government was missing the bigger picture.
“It is very clear that there are significant systemic issues that need to be investigated and the only way to do that is through a Commission of Inquiry,” she said.
“It makes absolutely no sense to have three inquiries running concurrently investigating the same matters, potentially involving the same people when you could have one Commission of Inquiry established now that you look at the entire system.
‘I do not understand why they are resisting this strongly when it is very clear that there are some deeply troubling allegations levelled across a number of government departments.
“And if there is nothing to hide, why are the government not committing to this commission. If their concern is cost, then that is abhorrent.
Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor said the need for a broad-ranging in query was both self-evident and urgent.
“The premier has three ministers whose departments have been subject to the most horrific allegations all relating to the abuse of children,” she said.
“It is time for an independent commission of inquiry. And this is where the premier himself needs to step in.
“Every day that the government delays establishing a Commission of Inquiry is one extra day when we are not resolving a structural and cultural issue in Tasmania, where children are potentially not safe in state institutions.
“This is actually urgent, we’re talking about some of our most at-risk young people who have been the responsibility of the state, whether it’s in Ashley, or public schools, or at the LGH, there is something rotten and wrong here that needs to be dealt with a Commission of Inquiry.”
And speaking at the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmania’s annual delegates conference on Friday, branch secretary Emily Shepherd said her members believed a Commission of Inquiry was the only way forward.
“These allegations need to be examined so that children and families can have confidence going forward and so that these types of claims don’t happen again in the future,” she said.
“Our members have called for a commission of inquiry because they want a broader investigation.
“Both investigations in the Tasmanian Health System and the broader independent inquiry are voluntary.
“It’s essential to have confidence restored in the community and for victims and their families to know this process is a transparent one – that they understand the terms and breadth of investigation so systematic improvements can be made for the future.”
More detention centre workers stood down over abuse claims
THREE staff members from the Ashley Youth Detention Centre have been stood down amid hundreds of allegations of abuse — including child rape.
The state government is standing firm against growing calls for a Commission of Inquiry to examine child sex abuse scandals in the Launceston General Hospital, the education system and now in the youth justice system.
Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor raised the allegations in parliament on Thursday, accusing the government of not treating the issue seriously enough.
“I believe there is something both rotten and wrong with the way at risk children are dealt with in Tasmania,” she said.
“We need a fully resourced, independent commission of inquiry to examine what are clearly systemic issues with the treatment of children and young people in state facilities in Tasmania. the government should not be treating these as isolated and totally separate incidents.
“It goes to a systemic issue, cultural issues, it raises questions about how state institutions and agencies look after kids and young people in their care.
“It raises huge questions about the systems that are in place to prevent predators from working with young people in the first place, but also to identify problematic behaviour at the earliest opportunity and take action to remove those people from young people who are at high risk in these situations.”
Human Services Minister Roger Jaensch said an investigation was underway into the latest abuse claims.
“The safety of children and young people in our care is of paramount importance and we take all allegations very seriously.
“I can confirm three people are currently stood down from the Ashley Youth Detention Centre after historical allegations were referred to police for investigation.
“The employees were stood down and an independent investigation is now underway, in addition to the police referral.
“The government needs to allow this process to take its course before commenting further.”
Three inquiries are now underway into claims of sexual abuse of children in government facilities.
In addition to Ashley, there are separate inquiries into a series claims made against a Launceston General Hospital nurse, and an inquiry into claims of abuse within the Education Department.
Lawyer Sebastian Buscemi acts for several alleged victims of abuse from Ashley. He said it is time for an inquiry.
“I think it’s really important that we get to the bottom of what’s gone on across a number of departments.
“It’s a very similar pattern of cover-up and offending that we can see across these departments.
“It needs to be completely independent of government, it needs to look at the systems as a whole, why it is that this conduct has existed in the Education Department, in the Health Department in Communities, in Child Protection and why it is that so many people can have allegations against them over such long periods of time, and either stay where they are or get shuffled around from different schools or hospitals or different parts of child protection.”
Labor’s health spokeswoman Sarah Lovell said the government could no longer resist inquiries for a broader inquiry.
“We are calling today on the government again to commit to a full Commission of Inquiry into the allegations of historical child sex abuse at the Launceston General Hospital.,” she said.
James Geoffrey Griffin, 69, of Legana, was charged with more than a dozen offences last October relating to crimes against children as young as 11. He died soon after the charges were laid.
Griffin had worked in Paediatric Unit attached to Launceston Hospital since 2001.
“It is very clear from what’s been revealed overnight and today in parliament that this investigation will need to extend now to the Ashley Youth Detention Centre.
“We also know that Mr Griffin, who the allegations have been levelled against, worked on the Spirit of Tasmania, he worked for the University of Tasmania in student accommodation and we know there is a separate investigation into historical child sexual abuse claims in the education department.
“It makes absolutely no sense to have three separate investigations running concurrently into the same matters.
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