Hearings

You can watch the Commission’s hearings via the live stream.

The Commission is conducting hearings in Hobart and Launceston during the period between 2 May and 19 August 2022.

In accordance with the Order establishing the Commission, the focus of the hearings is on examining and evaluating systemic issues, laws, policies, practices and procedures and the Commission will be informed by individual cases where appropriate.

Subject to any order of the Commission to the contrary, the hearings are open to the public and are recorded and live streamed on the Commission’s website. Members of the public, including the media, are welcome to attend in person or watch the live stream. A full hearings schedule is below.

The hearings and the documents published to this website might be confronting or upsetting to some people. If you need to talk to someone, a list of support services is available on our home page.

Hearings information

For more information about our hearings, please see:

Hearings schedule

Witness information

Practice directions

Leave to appear

Media guidelines

Hearings transcripts

Hearings documents

Documents are published below, including daily hearing lists, transcripts, witness statements, exhibits and orders. Copies of transcripts and witness statements can also be accessed through the document library.

Given the highly sensitive nature of much of the information relevant to the Commission’s inquiry, the release of information is subject to any relevant legal, privacy and safety considerations and may be subject to a delay. The Commission will not publish information subject to a restricted publication order or exclusion order.

It is important to the Commission that the information from its hearings is accessible in a range of formats. If you require a document, such as a copy of a transcript or a witness statement, in an accessible format, please contact the Commission.

Opening hearing: Tuesday 26 October 2021

Opening address from the President and Counsel Assisting.

Transcript of Tuesday 26 October 2021 (PDF, 160.7 KB)

Week 1: 2 May to 6 May 2022

Day 1: Monday 2 May 2022

The Commission of Inquiry: scope, focus and context

Daily hearing list, 2 May 2022 (PDF, 191.6 KB)

Transcript of 2 May 2022 (PDF, 2.1 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of ‘Kim’, 20 April 2022 (PDF, 1.0 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 2 May 2022 (PDF, 309.6 KB)
Statement of Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission, 13 April 2022 (PDF, 727.9 KB)
Statement of Dr Michael Salter, Scientia Associate Professor, Criminology, 7 April 2022 (PDF, 519.4 KB)

Day 2: Tuesday 3 May 2022

Nature and effect of child sexual abuse

Daily hearing list, 3 May 2022 (PDF, 190.2 KB)

Transcript of 3 May 2022 (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Tammy Donohue, 3 May 2022 (PDF, 889.7 KB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 3 May 2022 (PDF, 307.2 KB)
Statement of Commander Hilda Sirec, Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, 28 April 2022 (PDF, 2.1 MB)
Statement of Kathryn Fordyce, Chief Executive Officer, Laurel House, 3 May 2022 (PDF, 4.7 MB)
Statement of Jill Maxwell, Chief Executive Officer, Sexual Assault Support Service, 26 April 2022 (PDF, 2.8 MB)
Statement of Dr Catia Malvaso, Senior Research Fellow, Child Protection, Criminology and Developmental Psychology. 29 April 2022 (PDF, 5.4 MB)
Statement of Professor Brett McDermott, Statewide Speciality Director, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Tasmania, 11 April 2022 (PDF, 628.7 KB)

Day 3: Wednesday 4 May 2022

Child sexual abuse in institutional settings

Daily hearing list, 4 May 2022 (PDF, 190.6 KB)

Transcript of 4 May 2022 (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Dr Michael Guerzoni, Indigenous Fellow, Criminology, 29 April 2022 (PDF, 547.3 KB)
Statement of Professor Donald Palmer, Organisational Wrongdoing and Corporate Decision-making, 12 April 2022 (PDF, 629.5 KB)
Statement of Professor Helen Milroy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28 April 2022 (PDF, 754.2 KB)
Statement of Professor Sally Robinson, Disability and Community Inclusion, 26 April 2022 (PDF, 650.0 KB)
Statement of Associate Professor Tim Moore, Deputy Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies, 28 April 2022 (PDF, 557.2 KB)
Statement of Rachel Hales, Baptcare, 29 April 2022 (PDF, 395.5 KB)
Statement of Emily Churches, Mission Australia, 2 May 2022 (PDF, 179.3 KB)
Statement of Jurek Stopczynski, Mission Australia, 29 April 2022 (PDF, 189.6 KB)

Day 4: Thursday 5 May 2022

The Tasmanian context: challenges and opportunities for change

Daily hearing list, 5 May 2022 (PDF, 191.8 KB)

Transcript of 5 May 2022 (PDF, 2.9 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Professor Richard Eccleston, Political Science, 2 May 2022 (PDF, 2.4 MB)
Statement of Professor Cassandra Pybus, Historian and Author, 29 April 2022 (PDF, 1.3 MB)
Statement of Rod Whitehead, Auditor-General, 14 April 2022 (PDF, 651.8 KB)
Statement of Dr Charlie Burton, Manager Policy, Tasmanian Council of Social Service, 12 April 2022 (PDF, 439.2 KB) Statement of Dr Charlie Burton, Manager Policy, Tasmanian Council of Social Service, 18 May 2022 (PDF, 162.3 KB)
Statement of Adrienne Picone, Chief Executive Officer, Tasmanian Council of Social Service, 12 April 2022 (PDF, 154.3 KB)
Statement of Leanne McLean, Commissioner for Children and Young People, 12 April 2022 (PDF, 2.9 MB)

Day 5: Friday 6 May 2022

System responses and implementation of the National Royal Commission recommendations

Daily hearing list, 6 May 2022 (PDF, 190.8 KB)

Transcript of 6 May 2022 (PDF, 2.9 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Sonya Enkelmann, Therapeutic Specialist, 26 April 2022 (PDF, 5.7 MB)
Statement of Professor Judy Cashmore, Socio-Legal Research and Policy, 3 May 2022 (PDF, 771.5 KB)
Statement of Liana Buchanan, Principal Commissioner, Commissioner for Children and Young People, Victoria, 4 May 2022 (PDF, 748.8 KB)
Statement of Steve Kinmond, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies, 29 March 2022 (PDF, 489.5 KB)
Statement of Jenny Gale, Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet, 29 April 2022 (PDF, 419.5 KB)
Statement of Ginna Webster, Secretary, Department of Justice, 29 April 2022 (PDF, 244.0 KB)

Week 2: 9 May to 13 May 2022

Day 6: Monday 9 May 2022

Education: child sexual abuse in schools and the Independent Education Inquiry

Daily hearing list, 9 May 2022 (PDF, 194.1 KB)

Transcript of 9 May 2022 (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Kerri Collins, 11 April 2022 (PDF, 2.2 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 9 May 2022 (PDF, 131.2 KB)
Statement of Professor Stephen Smallbone, Professor Emeritus at the Griffith Criminology Institute, 28 April 2022 (PDF, 511.7 KB)
Statement of Professor Tim McCormack, Professor of International Law at the University of Tasmania, 22 April 2022 (PDF, 1.4 MB)
Statement of Ignatius Kim, Clinical Lead, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, 20 April 2022 (PDF, 5.2 MB)

Day 7: Tuesday 10 May 2022

Education: harmful sexual behaviours

Daily hearing list, 10 May 2022 (PDF, 191.7 KB)

Transcript of 10 May 2022 (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Katrina Munting, 5 April 2022 (PDF, 9.4 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 10 May 2022 (PDF, 130.0 KB)
Statement of Renae Pepper, Senior Practitioner and Psychologist, Sexual Assault Support Service, 30 April 2022 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Statement of Monique Carter, Principal, 26 April 2022 (PDF, 9.1 MB)
Statement of Nigel Russell, Teacher, 29 April 2022 (PDF, 241.0 KB)
Statement of Debra Drake, School Social Worker, 6 May 2022 (PDF, 7.9 MB)
Statement of Xris Reardon, LGBTIQ+ Lead Schools Inclusion Coordinator, Working It Out, 4 May 2022 (PDF, 723.2 KB)

Day 8: Wednesday 11 May 2022

Education: complaint procedures and investigations

Daily hearing list, 11 May 2022 (PDF, 189.9 KB)

Transcript of 11 May 2022 (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of ‘Rachel’, 14 April 2022 (PDF, 1.3 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 11 May 2022 (PDF, 132.5 KB)
Statement of Steven Smith, Senior Industrial Advocate, Australian Education Union Tasmanian Branch, 22 April 2022 (PDF, 5.5 MB)
Statement of Emily Sanders, Director Regulation, Commission for Children and Young People, Victoria, 5 May 2022 (PDF, 558.3 KB)
Statement of Alana Girvin, former Director of the Incident Management Directorate, Department for Education, South Australia, 28 April 2022 (PDF, 394.5 KB)
Statement of Tim Bullard, Secretary, Department of Education, 10 May 2022 (general response from Department of Education) (PDF, 2.2 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 11 May 2022 (PDF, 132.2 KB)

Day 9: Thursday 12 May 2022

Education: improving responses to allegations and incidents of child sexual abuse

Daily hearing list, 12 May 2022 (PDF, 190.2 KB)

Transcript of 12 May 2022 (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Tim Bullard, Secretary, Department of Education, 4 April 2022 ('Brad') (PDF, 3.6 MB) Statement of Tim Bullard, Secretary, Department of Education, 4 April 2022 ('Jeremy') (PDF, 6.5 MB) Statement of Tim Bullard, Secretary, Department of Education, 4 April 2022 ('Mark') (PDF, 2.3 MB) Statement of Tim Bullard, Secretary, Department of Education, 4 April 2022 ('Wayne') (PDF, 2.6 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 11 May 2022 (PDF, 132.2 KB)
Statement of Ann Moxham, Registrar, Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania, 27 April 2022 (PDF, 1.2 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 12 May 2022 (PDF, 130.5 KB)
Statement of Warren Strange, Chief Executive Officer, knowmore Legal Service, 28 April 2022 (PDF, 876.4 KB)
Statement of Angela Sdrinis, Director, Angela Sdrinis Legal, 5 May 2022 (PDF, 612.7 KB)

Day 10: Friday 13 May 2022

Education: litigation, redress and opportunities for change

Daily hearing list, 13 May 2022 (PDF, 191.2 KB)

Transcript of 13 May 2022 (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Sam Leishman, 15 March 2022 (PDF, 502.9 KB)
Statement of Tim Bullard, Secretary, Department of Education, 8 April 2022 (Sam Leishman) (PDF, 613.5 KB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 11 May 2022 (PDF, 132.2 KB)
Statement of Professor Kerryann Walsh, Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology, 15 April 2022 (PDF, 581.3 KB)
Statement of Elizabeth Jack, Executive Director, Safeguarding Children and Young People, Department of Education, 29 April 2022 (PDF, 215.7 KB)

Week 3: 14 June to 17 June 2022

Day 11: Tuesday 14 June 2022

Out-of-home care: safeguarding children

Daily hearing list, 14 June 2022 (PDF, 190.0 KB)

Transcript of 14 June, 2022 (PDF, 1.9 MB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
‘ Faye’ (a pseudonym)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 14 June 2022 (PDF, 130.7 KB)
Statement of Dr Robyn Miller, Chief Executive Officer, MacKillop Family Services, 9 June 2022 (PDF, 928.2 KB)
Statement of Dr Julian Watchorn, Clinical Psychologist, 8 June 2022 (PDF, 4.3 MB)
Statement of Kim Backhouse, Chief Executive Officer, Foster and Kinship Carers Association Tasmania, 8 June 2022 (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Day 12: Wednesday 15 June 2022

Out-of-home care: risks of child sexual abuse

Daily hearing list, 15 June 2022 (PDF, 196.9 KB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Statement of Jodie Stokes, Regional Manager, Anglicare, 8 June 2022 (PDF, 3.4 MB)
Statement of Heather Sculthorpe, CEO, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, 15 June 2022 (PDF, 995.6 KB)
Statement of Richard Weston, Deputy Children's Guardian for Aboriginal Children and Young People, New South Wales, 10 June 2022 (PDF, 761.3 KB)
Statement of Muriel Bamblett, CEO, Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency, 10 June 2022 (PDF, 13.1 MB)
Statement of Caroline Brown, 9 June 2022 (PDF, 7.1 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 15 June 2022 (PDF, 132.4 KB)
Statement of Jack Davenport, 3 June 2022 (PDF, 11.8 MB)	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 15 June 2022 (PDF, 129.9 KB)
Statement of Gemma McKibbin, Research Fellow, Department of Social Work, University of Melbourne, 6 May 2022 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Statement of Jenny Wing, General Manager, Therapeutic Services, Victoria and Tasmania, Australian Childhood Foundation, 8 June 2022 (PDF, 3.7 MB)

Day 13: Thursday 16 June 2022

Out-of-home care: improving responses to allegations and incidents of child sexual abuse

Daily hearing list, 16 June 2022 (PDF, 199.2 KB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Azra Beach	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 16 June 2022 (PDF, 133.7 KB)

Day 14: Friday 17 June 2022

Out-of-home care: system oversight and accountability and opportunities for change

Daily hearing list, 17 June 2022 (PDF, 191.0 KB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Brett Robinson	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 17 June 2022 (PDF, 131.8 KB)
Michael Pervan	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 17 June 2022 (PDF, 130.5 KB)

Week 4: 27 June to 1 July 2022

Day 15: Monday 27 June 2022

Health: Child sexual abuse at the Launceston General Hospital in the 1980s and 2000s

Daily hearing list, 27 June 2022 (PDF, 140.0 KB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits
Ben Felton	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 27 June 2022 (PDF, 141.4 KB)
Anne and Craig Duncan	Order of the Commission, restricted publication order, 27 June 2022 (PDF, 141.4 KB)

Day 16: Tuesday 28 June 2022

Health: James Griffin and the Launceston General Hospital

Daily hearing list, 28 June 2022 (PDF, 267.9 KB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Day 17: Wednesday 29 June 2022

Health: James Griffin and the Launceston General Hospital

Daily hearing list, 29 June 2022 (PDF, 268.7 KB)

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Day 18: Thursday 30 June 2022

Health: James Griffin and the Launceston General Hospital

Daily hearing list, 30 June 2022

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Day 19: Friday 1 July 2022

Health: Accountability for child sexual abuse in Health Settings

Daily hearing list, 1 July 2022

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Week 5: 4 July to 8 July 2022

Day 20: Monday 4 July 2022

Health: The role of regulators in health settings

Daily hearing list, 20 June 2022

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Day 21: Tuesday 5 July 2022

Health: The way forward: rebuilding systems and trust

Daily hearing list, 5 July 2022

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Day 22: Wednesday 6 July 2022

Daily hearing list, 6 July 2022

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Day 23: Thursday 7 July 2022

Daily hearing list, 7 July 2022

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Day 24: Friday 8 July 2022

Daily hearing list, 8 July 2022

Witness statements	Related orders and exhibits

Updated: 28th June 2022