Ministerial Statement

ROYAL COMMISSION INTO INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:03): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Today, I can announce that South Australia has appointed commissioners under state law to the commonwealth royal commission to investigate institutional responses to child sexual abuse. This step ensures that the royal commission has all of the powers that it needs to fully perform its functions. It fulfils the promise we made at the Council of Australian Governments meeting on 7 December 2012 to set up this royal commission.

The establishment of this royal commission was announced by the Prime Minister late last year and has been broadly welcomed across Australia. The royal commission will investigate where systems have failed to protect young people and make recommendations how to improve laws, policies and practices to prevent and better respond to child sexual abuse in institutions. The commission will provide an important opportunity for victims and their families to come forward and share their stories. It is hoped that the royal commission will help in some way to assist in the healing process the victims of child abuse and their families are going through.

South Australia has already taken significant steps in addressing this issue. The Mullighan inquiry into children in state care was a landmark moment for this state, and the work of the late Justice Ted Mullighan in delivering his inquiry will not be forgotten by this parliament nor by the children and families whose lives were devastated by these abhorrent actions in our state's history. Significantly, in establishing the royal commission, governments have been informed by the way in which the Mullighan inquiry allowed a safe and supportive place for people to tell their stories and so contributed to their healing, and have tried to replicate some of those processes.

The royal commission will also be a thorough and exhaustive one. I understand that the commission's findings may take some considerable time to finalise, however, I am informed that the commission will prepare an interim report by no later than 30 June 2014. The Hon. Justice Peter McClellan AM has been appointed chair of the commission. The other five commissioners are: Mr Bob Atkinson AO APM, a former Queensland police commissioner; Justice Jennifer Coate, Family Court judge and former Victorian coroner; Mr Robert Fitzgerald AM, Productivity Commissioner; Professor Helen Milroy, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist; and former senator for Western Australia, Mr Andrew Murray.

I am sure all members on both sides will welcome today's announcement and agree that every opportunity should be taken to shine a light on the evil of child sexual abuse in our community.