Tasmanian government announces another child safety bureaucrat

A new regulator to protect children from abuse will operate for up to five years at a cost of more than $7m — despite recommendations the job be taken on by a new Commissioner for Children and Young People.

Leanne McLean Commissioner for Children and Young People. Commission of Inquiry closing statements in Hobart. Picture: ABC/pool

A new regulator to protect children from abuse will operate for up to five years at a likely cost of more than $7m — despite recommendations the job be taken on by a new Commissioner for Children and Young People.

Attorney-General Guy Barnett on Tuesday announced the appointment of NSW director of Child Safe Organisations Louise Coe to lead the new Office of the Independent Regulator.

She will start in January.

The office will oversee a Reportable Conduct Scheme being established to improve the reporting of child abuse or neglect. It takes effect on January 1.

Children's Commissioner of Tasmania Leanne McLean listening in the public gallery. Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings held in Hobart. Picture: pool/ABC

The state government has allocated the new office $1.5m a year to do its work, in addition to the $1.9m budget for the office of Commissioner for Children and Young People Leanne McLean, who was reappointed in October for a second five-year term.

The recent Commission of Inquiry recommended in its final report the job be taken on by a new Commission for Children and Young People, as in Victoria.

The job description has disappeared from the Department of Justice website, although archived snapshots reveal the job was advertised with a base rate of $241,956 a year, plus 10.5 per cent super and a term of up to five years.

Applications were due to close with an external recruitment firm in mid-April.

Mr Barnett said the new Office of the Independent Regulator’s principal responsibility was to oversee the operation of the new Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework.

“The Framework will establish clear, legally mandated parameters that promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people by addressing two key recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: the Child and Youth Safe Standards, and the Reportable Conduct Scheme,” he said.

“Organisations within the scope of the Framework include, but are not limited to, Government Agencies, religious institutions, schools, private tuition services for children, out-of-home care, justice and detention services for children, and are required to be compliant with the Framework from 1 January 2024.”

Attorney-General Guy Barnett. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Commission of Inquiry recommended the role be created within a new body to replace the existing Commissioner for Children and Young People — as is the case in Victoria.

The Commission recommended the regulator be independent of government, have specialist knowledge of children, be accessible to children and their parents/carers, as they may wish to make a reportable allegation, have a child-centred focus and processes and have appropriate regulatory skills.

“We note the Tasmanian Government’s creation of an independent Regulator for

Tasmania’s Child and Youth Safe Framework,” the Commissioners said in their final report.

“We consider that the functions of the independent Regulator should sit within the new Commission for Children and Young People and that the independent Regulator should be the Commissioner for Children and Young People.”

“While we acknowledge it will take some time to fully establish the new Commission for

Children and Young People, the implementation of the Child and Youth Safe Standards

and Reportable Conduct Scheme should progress with some urgency.”