Editor’s note: KM spoke to the media today. We were not in attendance but she generously provided a copy of her speaking notes. We hope to bring you a ‘fully written’ version in the near future.

Media statement – Katrina Munting, 18 April 2024

— untitled —

Speaking points:
– Acknowledge what I am speaking about comes from a variety of people across the state, NOT my experience alone.
– I speak of experiences from victim/survivors, family members, and whistle blowers involved in the CoI. This is “we” or “us”.
– I cannot and do not speak of behalf of everyone; however, I speak for a large number of participants.
– This statement is directed squarely at our new Government
– Land squarely at the feet of the Premier
– The CoI was sold to us as an opportunity to be heard, believed and inform change to keep children safe.
– The “fall out” post CoI was not part of the deal.
– We’ve been chewed up and spat out by the process

I wish to speak to three main threads…

1. POST CoI support of “us” from the Government
– We had our standard CoI contact for a period and support phone numbers – psychological support. This was expected and appreciated.
– No ongoing, on the ground, tangible support, financial support, from the Government, to deal with the extensive and unexpected “fall out”.
_____– unable to return to work post CoI
_____– unable to maintain their employment
_____– no-longer gaining shifts in their employment
_____– auto-discounted from employment opportunities and promotions because of ‘who they are’
_____– working in untenable circumstances due to colleague backlash
_____– direct and indirect
_____– highly trained, skilled and experienced practitioners have had or are having their careers decimated, not just their current positions
_____– exhausted their personal leave and now go without pay for any illness, including days related to their psychological needs
– We relived the darkest parts of our past
– Government now has their report and recommendations
– We have been kicked aside because the Government has what it wanted from us
– We NEED ongoing, tangible, on the ground support, including financial support, to negate the “fall out” from the CoI.
– We did not sign up for this ongoing victimisation.
– We have to live with it.
_____– no longer being able to make ends meet
_____– lost identity and purpose
_____– careers decimated
_____– families crushed
– All for what?

2. POST CoI support for employers
– Stayed in employment
_____– some organisations/businesses are trying to support their staff – do not know how to do this
_____– don’t know what this looks like
_____– do not know trauma informed practice
_____– do not know what to expect and how the “fall out” can look like as a trauma response – absorbed financial strain to support their staff during and after the hearings
– They NEED a support service/program to assist in supporting ‘us’
_____– knowledge
_____– training
_____– financial support
– Their staff are going through what appears akin to workers compensation issues; however, it has been caused by the CoI and the Government – an external source. What do they do?

3. POST CoI support for employees
– Government staff working beneath managers with wrongdoing identified in the CoI
– staff identified in the CoI hearings and report under pseudonyms or otherwise
_____– still maintaining their job
_____– still in positions of power
_____– their staff are finding it increasingly untenable to work beneath them, knowing what they have done.
_____– these people are spruiking ‘change in culture’ despite their actions
_____– how are these staff meant to work under this?
– They NEED Departments who embody their values, not just spruik them

Premier Rockliff and the new Tasmanian Government.
– Victim/survivors and whistle blowers NEED ongoing, tangible, on the ground support, including financial support, to negate the “fall out” from the CoI.
– Employers NEED a support service/program to assist in supporting ‘us’
– State service employees NEED Departments who embody their values, not just spruik them.

We need ACTION before it is all too late for some individuals.

I would like to thank those Government staff who have worked tirelessly to work with us and to support us. You know who you are.