APOLOGY MOVE THE RIGHT THING
IT was another historic day in Tasmania’s parliament on Tuesday, one that’s another small step in the push for better treatment and protection of our children. After announcing a raft of changes to laws, and money for better programs to punish perpetrators and protect children, Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he had reached out to the leaders of the opposition parties about a plan to move a formal apology, on behalf of the Tasmanian parliament, to all children who have been failed by government institutions.
“I would expect a formal apology to be delivered at the completion of the commission’s public proceedings, when more victim-survivors have had the opportunity to come forward to the inquiry and share their experience,” Mr Rockliff said.
It’s a welcome move, and one that’s well overdue.
After listening to some of the shocking evidence to come out of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings it’s clear the crimes committed against children over many decades have happened under the watch of governments from both sides of the political divide.
The other big move in parliament was one that won’t cost taxpayers millions of dollars but will be a deterrent to would-be paedophiles or people who don’t speak out when children are being abused.
Mr Rockliff said legislation would be drafted to create a new crime of “failing to protect a child or young person” for people in authority within an organisation who fail to safeguard a child from substantial risk of sexual abuse. It’s a good move. The commission has shown that too many people have buried their heads in the sand and avoided responsibility when a claim was made about a co-worker.
The other change was a plan to amend the Criminal Code to introduce a presumption that children under the age of 17 cannot consent to sexual intercourse when a person is in a position of authority over them.
As Mr Rockliff said, these legislative changes will bring the criminal justice system into alignment with community expectations.
Along with law reform, the government promised a large sum of money for support schemes, more frontline workers and new youth justice facilities – all with the aim of better protecting our children. While the government is doing a good job on the implementation of change, more work needs to be done by everyday people.
Please, if a child tells you they are being abused, believe them. Report the situation to authorities so it can be investigated. If there’s one thing to be learnt from the commission it’s to stand up for the kids.