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Tasmanian sex abuse inquiry names commissioner amid allegations
With over a dozen Tasmanian public servants facing abuse allegations, the state’s Attorney-General has named a commissioner to oversee an inquiry into the government institutions’ historic and recent responses to the misconduct.
Naomi Neilson
The Tasmanian government will soon host a commission of inquiry into sexual abuse allegations in its institutions, following reports that over a dozen public servants have been stood down pending an investigation since November. The majority of those stood down have been referred to police for assessment.
“This is what the commission of inquiry has been set up to achieve. The government wants to get to the bottom of these issues,” Ms Archer said. “We want to identify where there are issues so we can ensure the safety of children into the future.”
The state government recommended that the former Victorian judge and commissioner of the Royal Commission into Family Violence, the Honourable Marcia Neave AO, be appointed president of the commission. Ms Archer said Ms Neave will bring a wealth of experience from a career “as judge, lawyer, academic and public policy maker”.
Prior to her role as commissioner, Ms Neave was justice of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court of Victoria and has previously held chair at several universities. In 2006, she became the first academic in Victoria’s history to be appointed to the Court of Appeal and has also been made an Officer of the Order of Australia.
In 2001, Ms Neave became the foundation chair of the Victorian Law Reform Commission, which Ms Archer said enabled her to play a “key role” in modernising Victoria’s laws and included recommending changes to address “systematic disadvantages faced by women and children within the legal system”.
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
You can email Naomi at:
