Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
To drive the huge cultural shift we need the Government going forward. It is crucial to see accountability for people in positions of power who failed to protect children and whose actions led to further harm.
The commission lays out a range of evidence against Michael Pervan, former secretary of the Department of Communities and the Department of Health and Human Services. The report says he provided the commission with contradictory evidence and documents a string of failures by him to address serious issues at Ashley, including unlawful practices; questions the truth of information he provided to his minister; questions whether he ensured appropriate action was taken against individuals responsible for serious human rights violations at Ashley; and questions his actions in relation to allegations of child sexual abuse at Ashley and his handling of allegations that the manager of Ashley had directed staff to forge isolation records to cover up illegal practices.
Has an investigation been conducted into Michael Pervan's conduct? If so, what was the result of the investigation?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank Dr Woodruff for her question. The commission of inquiry may make any finding or recommendation relevant to its terms of reference. The commission of inquiry, like all royal commissions, inquiries and court processes, must provide procedural fairness when making findings against individuals and organisations. This means that people must know what has been alleged against them and given the opportunity to comment or respond. That is a fundamental principle of our legal system and a human right.
I am not aware of any further investigation. Mr Pervan is no longer employed by the State Service.
What we as a government are committed to do is acting on the recommendations to ensure that those failures -
Dr WOODRUFF - Point of order, Mr Speaker, under Standing Order 45. I would like to clarify for the Premier -
Mr SPEAKER - No.
Dr WOODRUFF - This is a genuine point of order about past investigations.
Mr SPEAKER - Order. The Premier has been asked a question. He is allowed to answer it. If you have a point of order as far as relevance goes, I will remind the Premier of Standing Order 45 so you do not have to stand up and interrupt the Premier again. However, in my view, the Premier was answering the question.
Dr Woodruff - It is not about the commission, it is about the Government.
Mr SPEAKER - Order.
Mr ROCKLIFF - Our Government is taking this enormously seriously. This is the biggest and most important moment I see in this Tasmanian parliament's history. As leader of this State and as Premier, I take responsibility for all the failures right across the last 20 years. It is my job to get this done. It is my job to implement these 191 recommendations. We will do it effectively with a considered approach that ensures that the heartache, the trauma and the horrific nature of abuse that was inflicted on victims and survivors in our care over the course of the last 20 years, and decades before, that we will do all we can and firstly implement that 191 recommendations and where we can still improve outside of the 191 recommendations and where we can see improvements to protect young people and children, we will do that as well; of course we will.
Our number-one priority has been the safety of our children and young people, and the respect for victims and survivors who have had the courage to give evidence. I also acknowledge those victims and survivors who are not yet ready to tell their lived experience. We are doing it for them as well and all young people and children into the future.
