Royal Commission postpones visit to Tasmania

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has postponed community forums in northern Tasmania due to concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

The Commission was scheduled to visit Burnie and Launceston next week for a series of community forums and information sessions.

The Chair Ronald Sackville AO QC said the Royal Commission has been closely monitoring the situation, and has made the decision in the best interest of the health and safety of the community generally and of people with disability in particular.

‘We apologise for any inconvenience, however we consider this to be a necessary and appropriate step, given the number of confirmed cases in Australia continues to rise.

‘We want to assure all those who have registered for the forums in Tasmania, and the wider community, that there will be many other opportunities for people to tell the Royal Commission about their experiences of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

‘People can make a submission in any way they choose, by phone, in writing or by making an audio or video recording.

‘People can also apply for a private session with a Commissioner.

‘Details about submissions and private sessions and about a range of supports to help people engage with the Royal Commission are available on our website.

‘At this stage, the Royal Commission’s public hearing on education in Brisbane will go ahead, but again, we will closely follow the advice of medical experts.

‘Health and safety are the paramount considerations.

‘If we need to make any changes, we will provide details on our website and social media channels – via Facebook and Twitter,’ said the Chair.