Elise Archer,Attorney-General
There is nothing more important than ensuring the vulnerable in our community are protected and I recognise the extraordinary courage it takes for someone to come forward and report sexual abuse.
I am proud our Government is shining a light on an area that has been dark for too long, and I am also proud of the work we have been doing to ensure the Commission of Inquiry is appropriately equipped and resourced to leave no stone unturned.
Today I was pleased to see the Justice Miscellaneous (Commissions of Inquiry) Bill 2021 pass through the House of Assembly.
The Bill makes key amendments to the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1995 and other related legislation. These proposed amendments have been identified in consultation with the President of the Commission of Inquiry.
These amendments will further strengthen our Commissions of Inquiry Act 1995 and will make our Act one of the strongest in Australia, and will implement changes identified by the 2003 Tasmanian Law Reform Institute report as well as work done by the Australian Law Reform Commission.
I was pleased to recently announce that Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Kate Warner AC as Governor-in Council, signed the Order to formally establish the Commission of Inquiry into Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings.
That Order formally established the Honourable Marcia Neave AO as President of the Commission, and appointed two other Commissioners to assist her with the Inquiry, namely Professor Leah Bromfield and former Family Court Justice the Honourable Robert Benjamin AM.
I welcome the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry. This is difficult, but important and necessary work, and it shows how serious we are as a Government to addressing these matters.
