Statement from the Monitor:
I wish to acknowledge that I am aware of recent changes in timelines to a number of accepted recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings (COI).
Some information on these published changes was provided in the Tasmanian Government’s latest Quarterly Report (1 August to 31 October 2025), found on the Keeping Children Safe website last Friday 14 November 2025.
The changes – including in relation to out of home care and youth detention recommendations - were also referred to in news coverage at the weekend.
I am putting this statement out because understandably, there has been some concern from stakeholders and community members about what the changes mean and why they have been made.
I have always said and continue to say that doing the job of child safety reform properly is more important than timeframes. This is complex reform and it can’t be rushed. We have to get this right, to better protect our children.
But this philosophy, and the fact I am aware of these changes to COI recommendations, should not be interpreted as an endorsement of them.
While this first year in the life span of the Office of the Implementation Monitor has been about building solid foundations, next year I will continue to find out more about where the Government is in relation to time frames of accepted recommendations, whether it is able to meet them or looking to negotiate them, and, on what basis.
This includes in relation to the flagged forthcoming Change for Children Action Plan.
Some changes seem sensible, some inevitable, others may involve reprioritising of various recommendations to enable the change, however, I will need to consider them in a fully informed and careful manner. This will include community engagement.
I will of course monitor and evaluate the progress of all relevant recommendations through my Implementation Framework (due to be published on 2 December 2025) and public reporting, as I am bound to do in accordance with the legislation governing my office, the Child Safety Reform Implementation Monitor Act 2024.
- Robert Benjamin AM KC