The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to ensuring we do everything we can to better protect children from abuse and neglect.
The launch this morning of the Commissioner for Children’s Strengthening Child safe Organisations Report will help to raise awareness of what is involved in making an organisation safe for children.
This work by the Commissioner, Mr Mark Morrissey, also highlights why his role is so important if we are truly to make Tasmania safer for children and young people.
That’s why today I am pleased to announce that we are beginning consultation on the draft Commissioner for Children and Young People Bill.
The Government is delivering on our election commitment to provide a greater oversight role for the Commissioner of Children as per the recommendations of the Advocacy for Children in Tasmania Report.
When we came to office we advertised the position with a term of five years, rather than three, and we provided a Statement of Duties that made it quite clear that changes were being made across the scope and responsibility of the role.
The draft Bill we are releasing today builds on the recommendations of the Advocacy for Children in Tasmania Committee, which included such stand-alone legislation.
It is important that we get this legislation right, and I want to gather feedback from as many as people as possible, and as many children and young people too, as their voice is as important as the adults in our community.
The voices of our children and young people are very much evident, meanwhile, in the Commissioner’s Strengthening Child Safe Organisations Report.
More than 400 Tasmanian children from around the State were consulted as part of the report on what they have to say about child safety within organisations.
Mr Morrissey’s comment that “becoming child safe is something we should be doing with children, not just for them” is a sentiment I share as Minister.
On behalf of the Government, I thank the Commissioner for this report and I encourage all organisations that work with children to consider the findings and work to develop and implement child safe policies and procedures.
The draft Commissioner for Children and Young People Bill is available on the Department of Health and Human Services’ website at www.dhhs.tas.gov.au
Jacquie Petrusma, Minister for Human Services
