TasCOSS supports and believes the many victim survivors who bravely shared their stories of abuse throughout the Commission of Inquiry, including those who spoke of abuse experienced at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre.

TasCOSS calls on the state and federal governments to act urgently to ensure key services continue for the 26% of Tasmanians with disability.

TasCOSS has long advocated for significant reform to better support Tasmanian families and children. We look forward to more detail about the Expert Panel announced today by the Tasmanian Government — in particular, we urge the Government to include key stakeholders from the community services industry in recognition of their longstanding experience working with children and families.

TasCOSS welcomes the announcement of an independent review of Tasmania’s education system as an important first step to improving education outcomes but urged the Government to include effective responses to socio-economic disadvantage faced by students in its Terms of Reference.

TasCOSS welcomes the Legislative Council’s vote in support of the Member for Nelson, Hon Meg Webb MLC’s, motion to establish an emergency taskforce to remove children from Ashley Youth Detention Centre (AYDC).

In the midst of a cost of living crisis, today’s announcement by the Tasmanian Economic Regulator of another increase in electricity prices is a blow to Tasmanians on the lowest incomes, who do not have anything left in their budgets to cut back on and are at breaking point.

With winter setting in, the Tasmanian Government is being urged to bring forward $35 million of energy bill relief due to households, as energy debt and power prices continue to climb.

The Tasmanian Government’s response to the Commission of Inquiry promised urgent and evidence-based action to protect children, including the closure of Ashley Youth Detention Centre due to serious and ongoing safety risks at the facility, but a current spike in child detainees raises serious concerns that demand immediate action.