Premier Peter Gutwein's disclosure that he was a victim of child sexual assault could have a "huge impact" on other victim-survivors in Tasmania, support group Beyond Abuse says.
"The Premier's disclosure was very significant for survivors of child sexual abuse in Tasmania," Beyond Abuse chief executive Steve Fisher said.
He said two people had already come forward to his organisation with their own stories since seeing Mr Gutwein's disclosure on television.
Opposition health spokeswoman Anita Dow said she was "saddened" to hear of the Premier's experience of abuse.
"It does show that he does have insight and the lived experience of what many people who will be presenting to the commission of inquiry [into the Tasmanian government's responses to child sexual abuse in state institutions] will have," Ms Dow said.
Lawyer Angela Sdrinis, who specialises in child sexual abuse, said it was brave of Mr Gutwein to make the disclosure, but she did question the timing.
"It seems to me that the disclosure came at a time to distract from what happened in parliament the other day, where the Premier is trying to differentiate himself from the rest of his government and say, 'I understand, I've had an experience', and that's fair enough and that's important," Ms Sdrinis said.
"It's brave of the Premier to make that disclosure, but he has to take his government with him and my concern is that that's not really happening."
Most recently, that concern was highlighted by the behaviour of several government MPs in parliament on Thursday.
The MPs were heard groaning while Opposition Leader Rebecca White was asking a question on behalf of a victim-survivor of paedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin.
Education, Children and Youth minister Roger Jaensch was identified in Hansard as one of the members who groaned — and has apologised — but the others have not come forward.
Odin Lawyers principal Sebastian Buscemi said he hoped Mr Gutwein's disclosure would be a "wake up call" to the parliament that "this is a really important issue that's affected so many Tasmanians and it needs to be addressed so that no other Tasmanian has any experience like that".
Mr Buscemi called on the other MPs to own up to their behaviour.
"I would hope that they step forward and not only apologise, but really consider whether or not they're fit to hold those portfolios as well."
Ms Dow also called for the other MPs to come forward.
"There were some disturbing remarks made and gestures made that [they] really should be coming forward and apologising for," she said.
The MPs' behaviour came at a time when the commission of inquiry is preparing to resume public hearings.
"To have that sort of response in parliament, I just don't understand what it's going to take for these people, these people who are in power, these people who can and should affect change, these people who should be protecting Tasmanian children, I honestly don't understand what it's going to take for them to get it because clearly they don't," Ms Sdrinis said.
"It's really important that all levels of government: ministers, members of parliament, the bureaucracy, Tasmania Police, government lawyers, that they all own and understand the importance of the changes that the commission of inquiry has been asked to look at and make recommendations and investigate."
The commission of inquiry has been a long time coming.
The Tasmanian Greens tried in 2003 and again in 2004 to establish a commission of inquiry into child sexual abuse in the state.
Early threat to career
One Liberal, Peter Gutwein, crossed the floor to vote with the Greens in 2003.
"If we don't have the courage of our convictions, how can we expect those people out there that have been abused, that are aware of abuse, to come forward and help stop this dreadful thing," Mr Gutwein said at the time.
Then-Opposition leader, Rene Hidding, had this to say: "It was a judgement call by Mr Gutwein that will have far-reaching and long-serving ramifications for his own political career".
Mr Fisher was at parliament that day, and remembers it well.
It did temporarily put a halt to Mr Gutwein's political career — he resigned from his shadow cabinet portfolios.
In 2004, the Liberals voted with the Greens, but the Labor government established a much narrower ombudsman's inquiry.
Less than a year into his term as premier, as allegations of abuse in state hospitals, schools and the Ashley Youth Detention Centre mounted, Mr Gutwein announced in 2020 that there would finally be a commission of inquiry.
