Mr Speaker,
I rise to speak strongly in support of this motion…
Because there is no matter of greater importance than the safety and wellbeing of our children.
And we in the Parliament must acknowledge and take responsibility for the failings in our state’s government institutions which have so badly let down so many children in our schools, hospitals, the youth justice system and other government settings.
Mr Speaker,
We deeply regret these failings, which have caused enormous pain and suffering to children who should have been afforded the highest protections we can offer – and we offer our deepest and sincerest apologies.
To the children who have grown up with that pain and have had to fight every step of the way to find a path through their trauma, hurt and feelings of betrayal and try to move on with their lives in spite of it – in many cases, with little to guide them but their own courage.
Tragically also, to the children who were unable to find a way through – whose pain was too overwhelming for them to overcome – and who are no longer with us as a result.
There is nothing that can make up for that but if we are to find a way forward and protect other children, we must start by acknowledging the profound harm these systemic failings have done to so many children.
Children who had their innocence stolen from them and then had to fight a system that didn’t believe them – or that dismissed their complaints because it would be “too hard to prove”.
And, to the victims’ and survivors’ families – who entrusted their children’s care to state institutions only for that trust to be betrayed in the worst possible ways.
To the whistle-blowers who weren’t listened to, who had their concerns minimised, who tried to warn us of the horrors but found that instead of our gratitude for helping to protect children they got silenced.
To those parents who saw their children suffering, but were unable to penetrate a wall of deeply held trauma, amid the complex emotions of guilt, shame, anger, and sorrow.
To those who knew and tried to get help for their children – and of course justice – but were unable to penetrate a wall of bureaucracy and were left by the system to deal with their pain, grief, trauma and guilt without the support and help they deserved.
…And without the support and help their children deserved.
To each of you we say sorry.
And we are sorry that we still cannot protect all our children.
We have not done enough yet but let this day be a mark of our public commitment to each of you that we will redouble our effort. And that what follows our words in this place will be action.
The Government made a commitment to implement all of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry when they are handed down next year and that is a commitment that must be kept. Because while today is about acknowledging and apologising for the way we have let children down there must also be a single-minded focus on doing everything within our power to protect from this failure to keep children safe from happening again.
I would like to acknowledge former Premier Peter Gutwein who announced the Commission of Inquiry and did so, I believe, from a place of genuine desire to make a difference to the lives of children in our state.
I want to thank the Commissioners for their dedication and careful work and all the staff who have supported the Commission of Inquiry. Their compassion and care has helped to support many victim survivors tell their story and expose the failures of successive governments.
I would like to recognise the bravery of all those who have come forward but in particularly I would like to pay my gratitude to those who spoke up, both on and off the record, before the Commission of Inquiry was announced. Their powerful stories shocked us, horrified us and demanded action from us. And from that the requirement for a Commission of Inquiry became clear.
I know that the wider community shares the distress and sorrow at both the nature and extent of the matters that the Commission of Inquiry has exposed.
We heard the testimony and questioned how these things could have happened. We read the reports in the media and we asked why nobody did anything. But the uncomfortable reality is that many of these failures to protect children were known, but people didn’t act. And many of these stories of abuse have been told before, but people didn’t listen.
The Commission of Inquiry has provided a safe place for people to share their experiences and for them to be believed.
Some gave evidence to the Commission of Inquiry because they wanted to protect others. They wanted to expose what they had witnessed; the failings, the horror and the lack of action to keep children safe.
Some shared stories where the only action that was taken was to protect the perpetrator.
Some shared their own stories of abuse. Of their pain. Of how a system that should be set up to protect our most vulnerable utterly failed.
The personal stories from the Commission of Inquiry were the most heartbreaking to hear.
The horrific abuse children who should have been safe were subjected to and the years and years of dealing with the trauma of that abuse…
…the lifelong damage that has caused.
…the gaslighting – not being believed by people in positions of power.
…holding the pain tight in their chest as it threatened to consume them.
…the loneliness, the isolation, the secrets, the shame.
…the horror of discovering through the media that they were not alone – that so many others had experienced similar trauma – in some cases at the hands of the same perpetrator.
…the ordeal of having to speak up themselves through the media in order to finally be heard.
Tragically, these horrific experiences are not restricted to those who took part in the Commission of Inquiry…
There are those who have equally dreadful stories who have never shared them.
We know that many other children have also suffered terribly at the hands of people they should have been able to trust.
And in every instance where a child has been abused and had their world shattered it is important to always remember that it is not your fault. It was never your fault.
And we know that all of you who have experienced this terrible betrayal have lived a very different life from the life you should have had.
For all of that, we acknowledge your anguish and pain and are deeply and sincerely sorry.
I want to acknowledge the extraordinary courage and resilience it has taken to come through such a devastating experience.
It is your strength and fortitude that has brought us to where we are today – no longer dismissing these awful stories of abuse, but exposing them instead.
…so that the systemic failings that allowed this to go on for so long can be fixed…
…so that those who allowed these atrocities to continue can be held to account…
…so that we can have trust in our public institutions again…
…so that we can know that our children are safe and protected.
…so that this never happens again.
Mr Speaker, we come together today in this House, to acknowledge the deep hurt caused by these failings…
…to take responsibility for these failings…
…and to give our firm commitment to do better…
We are here as representatives of the Tasmanian community, to offer our sincere apology to the children whose lives were so damaged,
…to their mothers and fathers, their brothers and sisters, their grandparents and to all that loved them.
I know that for some, today will be met with mixed feelings.
This is a highly sensitive and personal issue.
Every person will deal with this in different ways and it’s important that we respect that.
For some people today will be a really important day to help them heal.
For others, it might be quite a distressing day. And I want to acknowledge that.
That range of reactions is normal and we accept and respect that.
Our role is to do everything we can to work with individuals to ensure they have the support they need.
There is no apology that can take away the weight you bear, the loss of your innocence or the sadness that remains with you…
But I hope that by making this apology today, we can help ease the burden of your trauma.
We are deeply sorry.
Sorry for your pain.
Sorry for your suffering.
Sorry for the appalling treatment you endured after already experiencing one of the worst things a child can experience.
And sorry for failing you when you should have been protected.
No-one should suffer as you have suffered and along with our sincere apology, we offer you our ongoing compassion and support.
And we offer our vow that we will continue working to ensure that this never happens again…
…that Tasmania’s children are protected as they should be – in a community that always puts their safety first.
I commend the motion to the House.
If you are in distress, please call 1800 MYSUPPORT (1800 697 877)
Or 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Or call Lifeline on 13 11 14
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
