Dr WOODRUFF question to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, Mr ELLIS
In the most recent episode of podcast Badge of Betrayal, a currently serving senior officer in Tasmania Police described the review into child sexual abuser Paul Reynolds as ‘a failed inquiry’. He said the Weiss review had not addressed fundamental and important matters, but made it clear that was not because of any failures of the reviewer, but because of the narrow scope and limited powers of the review.
During Adjournments over the past two days, I’ve detailed a range of significant questions that remain unanswered. These include questions about the actions of senior members of the Tasmanian government and Tasmania Police in response to the Reynolds matter, both before and after his death. Do you acknowledge this matter has not been satisfactorily examined and will you ensure the government acts to make sure all outstanding issues are properly investigated?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the honourable member for her question and genuine interest in this matter. First, I will say again that our hearts go out to victim/survivors, particularly those of Mr Paul Reynolds. There is absolutely no place in our society for that kind of predatory behaviour against children, but particularly no place for that in Tasmania Police.
In terms of the reviews that have been conducted into Mr Reynolds’ behaviour, these have been extensive. The commission of inquiry has examined them, indeed with a specific case study, there has been a coronial investigation, the Weiss review which was commissioned subsequent to the commission of inquiry, and of course the police professional standards investigation which uncovered Paul Reynolds’ offending, which was reported by a police officer at the time and subsequently Mr Reynolds took his own life.
As I mentioned before, these matters have been extensively canvassed off the back of the commission of inquiry. The Commissioner of Police apologised specifically for the decision of the former commissioner of police to grant a police funeral to Mr Reynolds. It was the wrong decision by the commissioner at the time to grant that. I’ve also echoed that apology on behalf of government in the past. From that, the police handbook was updated so that commissioners in future have to take into account police professional standards investigations in the granting of any police funeral, so that matter has already been resolved.
The Weiss review was extensive and widely regarded as a very strong professional body of work. It made five recommendations and the government accepted all five of those. The police commissioner also accepted all five and the rollout of the actions to implement the Weiss recommendations are well underway. They were funded in past budgets and in this Budget and Tasmania Police are doing an exceptional job to ensure we’re delivering on those commitments and helping to rebuild the trust of the community and protecting victim/survivors. I think it’s really heartening to see the work of the new police command for community engagement. That was part of the Weiss recommendations and they have been doing wonderful work to help bring the community together and address some of these concerns.
I think in one of your previous contributions you mentioned that the Integrity Commission hasn’t been notified. That is not correct. Of course this is a public document.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Dr WOODRUFF – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Dr WOODRUFF – The Police minister referenced the Weiss review and the police standards review and said that these had uncovered Paul Reynolds’ offending. Correct, but they did not and were not empowered to ask the questions which I’ve put before the House on a number of occasions about the actions or inactions of people in senior positions of power. My question remains. Minister, can you explain why you won’t do the investigation? Is it because you’re uncomfortable about what it might find?
The SPEAKER – The honourable member’s time for the question has expired but I do draw the minister back to the original question.
Mr ELLIS – As I mentioned before, there was a police Professional Standards investigation in 2018, a coronial inquest in 2023 –
Dr Woodruff – But they didn’t look at these matters; that’s the point.
The SPEAKER – Order.
Mr ELLIS – Dr Woodruff, the inquiry into the Tasmanian government’s response into child sexual abuse in institutional settings looked specifically at that matter.
Dr Woodruff – It did not ask the question about the funeral.
The SPEAKER – Dr Woodruff, you can ask another question if you’re not happy with the minister’s answer. I ask, for the next 30 seconds, that the minister be heard, please.
Mr ELLIS – There was the Weiss review itself, and then following the Weiss review, the commissioner directed all police Professional Standards files involving allegations of sexual abuse to be proactively referred to the Integrity Commission. This matter has been extensively looked into, Dr Woodruff. The decision to grant a police funeral has already been acknowledged as wrong and the decision to make and improve processes was made ahead of the Weiss review.
