19 October 2023

Michael Ferguson, Treasurer

Delivering for Tasmanians through the Parliament

The Rockliff Liberal Government welcomes the passage of the Appropriation (Supplementary Appropriation for 2023 24) Bill 2023.

On 26 September 2023, the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings Final Report was released and the Government committed to implement each of the 191 recommendations from the Report.

This Bill provides funding of $25.091 million to enable implementation of urgent Government action to address the recommendations arising from the Commission of Inquiry’s Final Report, including:

• Improvements at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre to keep children safe and a focus on wellbeing, safety and staff recruitment and training;
• Implementation of the Child Safety and Wellbeing Framework and establishment of a Child Safety and Wellbeing Panel and Service;
• Establishing a team within the Department of Justice to implement the significant Commission of Inquiry legislative reform agenda, and provide further funding to implement an independent Child Sexual Abuse Implementation Monitor;
• Establishment of the Western Arch Multidisciplinary Centre;
• Delivery of a whole of Government leadership and cultural improvement program;
• Development of a whole of Government child sexual abuse reform strategy; and
• Delivery of human resources information system upgrades.

The Bill also delivers on three important Government commitments, including:

• $8.1 million for the Government’s Metro support package to help overcome Metro Tasmania’s driver shortage and restore full service delivery;
• $7 million for a grant to assist with the construction of Nyrstar’s new Electrolysis Plant, as part of our $20 million election commitment to help modernise the Hobart Zinc Works; and
• $300,000 for The Shepherd Centre to help improve services in Tasmania for children with hearing loss and their families.

Treasurer, Michael Ferguson, thanked all those Members of Parliament who assisted in progressing this important Bill as the first order of business this sitting week, ensuring that agencies can commence work on the delivery of urgent priority actions recommended by the Commission of Inquiry.

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