Integrity Commission Responds to Matters Raised in Parliament

Media release – Greg Melick AO SC, Chief Commissioner, Integrity Commission, 1 November 2023

Integrity Commission responds to matters raised in Parliament

The Integrity Commission notes the statements made in Parliament yesterday about the outcomes of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings.

Chief Commissioner Greg Melick said: “The conclusions mentioned in Parliament were wrong in law and, insofar as they relate to the Integrity Commission and its Officers, they are incorrect.

“I can advise the following facts:

• The Integrity Commission was provided several draft chapters by the Commission of Inquiry for review.
• We understood that the draft chapters had been written by Commission of Inquiry staff and had not at that stage been reviewed by the Commissioners themselves.
• As requested, we provided responses that focussed on correcting factual matters or misunderstandings of our submissions and/or evidence. We did not characterise this as ‘procedural fairness’.

• There were no proposed ‘adverse findings’ or findings of misconduct about the Integrity Commission’s CEO, Michael Easton, or any other past or present employees or Officers of the Commission.

• The draft chapters were not provided under a notice of ‘potential adverse finding’ (s.18 or s.19 notice) and no such notices have been received by the Integrity Commission.
• At no stage did the Integrity Commission seek or receive assistance from any government or other lawyers on any issues relating to findings, or seek to amend the findings.

“The Integrity Commission seeks to act transparently at all times, and in the best interests of children and the public.

“We have accepted the findings made by the Commission of Inquiry, and have commenced implementation of its recommendations.”