Legal barriers for victim-survivors reduced, new laws introduced

The Commissions of Inquiry Amendment (Private Sessions Information) Bill 2025, has passed Tasmania’s Upper House.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Corrections and Rehabilitation, Guy Barnett, said the Tasmanian Government is committed to implementing reforms to assist victim-survivors of child sexual abuse.

“We have delivered on our commitment to remove and reduce legal or administrative barriers on victim-survivors where possible,” the Attorney said.

The Bill removes barriers to individuals accessing the information they provided to or for a private session with the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings (the Commission).

Private sessions are confidential meetings where people can share their experiences with a Commission of Inquiry. The Commission held more than 120 private sessions across 2021 – 2023.

These sessions are not ‘evidence’ for a Commission, but a protected way that a Commission can learn about a matter.

The strict confidentiality and protections around private sessions are designed to encourage people to engage with a Commission and to provide a forum that is less formal or intimidating.

Before these changes, the records of a private session could not be provided to the participant unless they, and any person they spoke or wrote about, consent to that information being disclosed.

To account for the possibility where a private session could be held with more than one participant, the Bill provides additional protections.

To ensure that any potential co-participant’s identity is protected, the Bill requires the co-participant to consent to the disclosure.  If they do not consent, their identity will be redacted.

This will provide a balance between protecting a co-participants identity, and ensuring that participants can receive a full record of their engagement in a private session – including any statements or information made available to them.

“This reform is critical for victim-survivors and whistleblowers. It reinforces that it is their choice what they do with their own information, and that they are free to retell their experiences as they wish,” the Attorney General said.

“We will continue to approach legislation with compassion and commonsense, and I look forward to this legislation progressing.”

The Bill’s third reading is expected to occur in the November.