Survivor says that staff are suffering

Victim-survivor Katrina Munting says some departmental staff had been left in untenable positions in the wake of the Commission of Inquiry into child sexual abuse.

“There are government staff who are working beneath managers who, through the COI under pseudonyms, have been identified for their wrongdoings,” Ms Munting said.

“Staff on the ground are really struggling to work beneath them under their leadership – they know the wrongdoings of these people in the past, but they can’t speak up, they can’t speak about the untenable situation they are being placed in.

“It begs questions about why these people still have their jobs.

“Why do they still maintain their power?”

The Blake report, released last Friday, cleared senior public servants of wrongdoing in relation to the Commission of Inquiry, but inadequacies in the evidence it was provided have prompted calls for it to be withdrawn.

Liberal Minister Felix Ellis said the content of the report was a matter for Mr Blake.

“Mike Blake has provided his report. We’ve accepted that and now we’ll consider the findings as part of it,” he said.

“Obviously Mr Blake is also welcome to consider any other matters but we’re looking to get on with the job and consider those recommendations.”

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff was briefed on the report on Wednesday and added her voice to those calling for the report to be withdrawn.

“I was extremely disturbed, actually I left feeling very angry, very angry at Jeremy Rockliff for having created a fundamentally flawed process,” she said.

“What we’ve got now is a report that didn’t answer the questions that Tasmanians need to have answered.

Labor leader Dean Winter said there was little point in withdrawing the report, but further questions would be asked in parliament.