Tasmania’s longest-serving Commissioner for Children and Young People is stepping down from her role after nearly six years.
Leanne McLean will take a period of leave from June 30th before officially resigning in October to become the Director of the Peter Underwood Centre at the University of Tasmania.
“It has been a great honour and a privilege to serve as Commissioner for the past five and a half years,” McLean said.
“I am extraordinarily grateful to have been guided by the wisdom, knowledge and energy of the many children and young people who have helped me fulfill this role on behalf of all young Tasmanians.”
McLean said that despite significant policy and legislative changes aimed at improving the rights and wellbeing of young people in recent years, challenges remain.
These include workforce constraints across all services for children, cost of living pressures, homelessness and poverty impacting many Tasmanian children and families.
“Issues including family violence, drug and alcohol use, intimate partner violence, harmful behaviours amongst peers, sexual abuse and exploitation and mental ill health remain real risks to the safety and wellbeing of our children and young people,” she said.
“Our educational performance across a range of indicators has declined in recent years and this is extremely concerning.”
McLean said she is stepping down now to enable the establishment of a new Commission for Children and Young People and the recruitment of new statutory officers.
“I have long advocated for this and remain very supportive,” she said.
“Now is the right time for me to step away from this role.”
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said McLean has been “strident in placing enormous importance on listening to the voices of children and young people”.
“Ms McLean can and should be very proud of her contribution and we wish [her] all the very best for future endeavours,” he said.
Minister for Children and Youth Roger Jaensch described McLean a “fierce advocate” for the rights of all children.
“I thank her and wish her every success in her new role,” he said.
The Commissioner for Children was established in 2000 and will be temporarily filled by Isabelle Compton.
