An advocate for children
MARK Morrissey will be a significant loss to the cause of protecting vulnerable Tasmanian children and a notably absent voice from the ongoing discussions about shortcomings in our system.
His has been a refreshing, strong and independent voice of reason in what has often been an emotionally charged debate. He announced yesterday he would be stepping down from the role as Tasmania’s Commissioner for Children and Young People in early September. There was no bitterness or regret evident in Mr Morrissey’s dignified exit statement.
He said it was important the state stayed the course on significant reforms and that governments and organisations worked in tandem into the future.
“Progress can only be made by working together,” he said.
However, over the course of his tenure, his views often have been challenging. He was damning in his response to a post on a Facebook buy-and-sell page advertising children in need of foster care on the North-West Coast — an organisation funded by the State Government. “The situation wherein an advertisement was placed on a buy-and-sell Facebook page seeking primary and respite foster carers for specific children is unacceptable,” Mr Morrissey said.
He was forthright in his plan to help repair the state’s broken out-of-home-care system. “The delivery of out-of-home care in Tasmania should be held to account against an agreed set of standards, with performance against those standards publicly reported on,” he said. He told the state’s MLCs he did not believe mandatory sentences for sex offenders
But it does raise questions regarding the revolving door of the Children’s Commissioner position at a time when the child protection system is in a state of flux.
would make children safer and risked retraumatising victims. (The Government’s Bill was subsequently defeated). Such comments won him admiration and respect in the community sector. And they no doubt raised an eyebrow or two in the corridors of power.
He also was at the centre of an allegation levelled by Labor against Human Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma that her chief of staff had issued him a directive to stop providing written advice to the minister.
Given this pattern of events, we would hope Mr Morrissey’s exit is not a case of burnout or the like, but merely a life choice by someone who has made a significant contribution and has chosen to pursue other avenues. We sincerely wish him all the best. But it does raise questions regarding the revolving door of the Children’s Commissioner position at a time when the child protection system is in a state of flux. The next appointment will be the fifth in five years. The previous Children’s Commissioner, Aillen Ashford, quit after 17 months and, before her, Paul Mason held the role from 2007 until 2010. Both cited frustration at their lack of powers. (Elizabeth Daly’s was an interim appointment from 2013-2014).
When Mr Morrissey was appointed, Ms Petrusma was quoted as saying the contracts would be extended from three to five years, to ensure the commissioner did not “fall victim to an election cycle” and subsequently moved to increase the office’s powers, including giving it the authority to generate its own inquiries.
Regardless, Mr Morrissey will leave his post after serving just shy of three years.