Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
You repeatedly told Tasmanians that your early election would not delay work on the commission of inquiry’s urgent recommendations. You have admitted today that progress on key legislation was delayed due to your choice to call an election. Will you acknowledge your statements as dishonest and apologise to Tasmanians?
It is not just critical legislation that has been delayed. Despite the commission of inquiry’s urgent recommendation and strong calls from advocates last year, you failed to provide an immediate injection to out-of-home care. Why will you not do this?
More than 1 000 children in out-of-home care today are at greater risk due to your refusal to act. Premier, will you please reconsider this approach? Will you commit to bringing in a supply bill next sitting week to provide an immediate funding investment into out of home care?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as I have detailed quite clearly, 44 of the 48 recommendations progress and I have been very open and transparent about the ones that have a delay, and they will be worked through until September.
Within your question you asked about a matter that was detailed by the Minister for Children and Youth. Our response reaffirms our government’s commitment to each of the 191 recommendations made by the commission. There was clearly, as detailed in my response, an enormous amount of work that has been done by very hard-working and diligent public servants throughout that caretaker period.
With all due respect to some on the other side, when they refer to the election being called, my memory of those on the other side is they wanted an election.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER – Members on my right.
Mr ROCKLIFF – You called for an election, so let us not be hypocritical. This is too important an issue for the hyperbole and hypocritical nature of those opposite. It is disrespectful to the people who have been traumatised in their past and it is important that all of us, collectively, are accountable to what we have said throughout this time.
Madam SPEAKER – Premier, you have one minute, so if you could address the questions contained in the question, please.
Mr ROCKLIFF – As stated during the debate on Supply Bill No.1, the government has included some $29.8 million in the appropriation for the supply period to ensure relevant agencies have sufficient funding to continue implementation of the government’s response to the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings.
This funding to support the implementation of the commission of inquiry recommendations and a reduced amount for the Treasurer’s Reserve were the only matters that were included in the supply bills, over and above the usual pro rata calculation for five months of supply, I am advised. The allocation has been determined by the Department of Premier and Cabinet in consultation with the Children and Youth Safety Wellbeing secretary’s board.
Dr WOODRUFF – Premier, on the record, the Greens never supported and never called for a snap election and have always been concerned it would hold it up.
Madam SPEAKER – You have a very short period of time to put your supplementary.
Dr WOODRUFF – Premier, will you apologise to Tasmanians for the dishonest statements that you made, because in black and white they are dishonest. Will you commit to bringing in a supply bill because we cannot wait until September for out-of-home care funding, as the commissioners said very clearly in their recommendation – immediate funding?
Madam SPEAKER – Premier, I will allow the supplementary because it was the matters contained in the original question.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Thank you, Madam Speaker. There are two parts to the supplementary question. First, I reject your characterisation.
Dr Woodruff – They are your words.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I made it clear that work would continue throughout the caretaker period and clearly it has.
Dr Woodruff – It was delayed.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I have been very open, honest and transparent about the recommendations that require a little delay.
To the second part of your question, we will always act on advice to see what resources are required to continue the implementation of the recommendations. As I have stated, when it comes to the supply bill, the funding has been provided; indeed, that was articulated by the Minister for Children and Youth.
