A Launceston nurse distressed about the handling of complaints against an alleged paedophile colleague was told not to raise the issue publicly in case it caused "unnecessary distress".
Premier Peter Gutwein called a commission of inquiry into child sex abuse in government institutions — partially in response to allegations against Launceston General Hospital (LGH) paediatric nurse James Geoffrey Griffin — in November 2020.
But earlier the same year, former health minister Sarah Courtney warned Tasmania Health Service staff off airing concerns publicly, telling an LGH nurse via their lawyer that while she was aware some staff believed their complaints about Griffin had not been properly dealt with, "all issues on record that were raised by staff were appropriately addressed at the time".
"I note you suggest that the staff may be encouraged to raise the matter publicly to address some of the psychological impacts of the alleged abuse," Ms Courtney wrote to the lawyer.
Ms Courtney, who resigned from parliament earlier this month after coming under fire for travelling to France while stressed parents prepared for the start of a pandemic school year, also said a variety of "appropriate and reasonable" supports had been offered to Griffin's colleagues but that requests for additional counselling would be "considered".
In October 2020, she announced an independent inquiry into the allegations — about two months after they were publicised on podcast The Nurse.
The independent inquiry was later dropped in favour of the wider-ranging commission of inquiry.
The nurse, who contacted Ms Courtney through their lawyer, said they felt "disheartened" by the former MP's response.
"It also renewed determination to expose these events to the public, especially if the highest office in the THS wasn't going to launch an investigation or take responsibility."
Griffin died by suicide in October 2019 after he was charged with a series of child sex crimes.
Several women had contacted Tasmania Police with complaints he had sexually abused them as children.
The coroner's report said police also found indecent images of children on seized electronic devices that appeared to have been taken in Griffin's role as a paediatric nurse, but he was not interviewed about those allegations before he died.
Labor leader Rebecca White said the letter from Ms Courtney suggested the state government had once sought to cover up the allegations against Griffin.
"The Gutwein government did the right thing by establishing the Commission of Inquiry but the facts reveal they knew about James Griffin's offending in 2019 and took no action to commence an investigation until there was public outrage after the story was leaked to the media," Ms White said.
"This letter reveals the government's lack of compassion and lack of interest in making sure victim survivors of a paedophile had the opportunity to access support and justice at the earliest opportunity."
A Health Department spokesman said it would be inappropriate to discuss the handling of allegations against Griffin while the commission of inquiry was underway.
"Anyone who has been impacted by such events should contact the commission of inquiry."
The commission of inquiry will examine how to better protect children against child sex abuse in institutional settings and pay particular attention to the Education Department, the Tasmanian Health Service and Ashley Youth Detention Centre.
Public hearings are scheduled for May.
The nurse said it was crucial the state government followed all recommendations from the inquiry once it wrapped up.
"We have heard stories of cover-ups spanning decades now, and what I want to see is a commission of inquiry into the management of the THS itself," they said.
