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Tasmania's Premier Peter Gutwein has spoken for the first time about wrestling free from a teacher who sexually assaulted him when he was 16 years old.
Key points:
- Mr Gutwein was at a COVID briefing when asked about an incident that happened in Question Time yesterday
- Government MPs were heard groaning after a question from a sexual abuse victim-survivor was asked by the Opposition Leader
- Mr Gutwein today said the incident "troubled" him and went on to tell his own story of abuse at the hands of a teacher
Mr Gutwein was speaking at the end of a COVID briefing on Friday outlining changes to mask rules.
He was asked by a reporter about whether he would discipline members of his own party who were heard groaning during Question Time in response to a question about the state's upcoming Commission of Inquiry into child sexual abuse.
The Labor Opposition Leader quoted a question from a Tasmanian victim-survivor of child sexual abuse who said the Premier had shown "no empathy" on the issue.
At the press conference this afternoon, Mr Gutwein said he had trouble sleeping last night.
"I must say last night this really troubled me, to have a victim-survivor that felt this government was not being supportive," he said.
He then said he was going to reveal something only once: "I am not going to speak about it again."
"I have great empathy with people who are victim-survivors. I crossed the floor in 2002 to bring about a Commission of Inquiry that ultimately could have completely derailed my own career," he said.
"I'm the first premier of this state that has taken the steps to have a Commission of Inquiry.
"The reason that I've done that is that I have great empathy, because I have walked in their shoes.
"I was asked to go to their home for a beer, which I thought was fantastic.
"I'd known this person for a long period of time, they'd spent a lot of time at the football club I was involved with.
"While I was there, they put their arm around me and they grabbed for my groin, tried to get their hand down my pants.
Mr Gutwein said he had not "spoken to anyone about the motivations about why I crossed the floor in 2002".
He said he had reached out to the victim-survivor who took offence at the groaning of government MPs.
"I hope they get in touch," he said.
"I know what the loss of trust feels like, I know what the shame feels like."
What happened in parliament to spark this?
Mr Gutwein's revelation comes after Labor leader Rebecca White yesterday read out a question in parliament on behalf of a victim-survivor of notorious paedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin.
Government frontbenchers were heard groaning and saying "come on" as Ms White spoke: "The victim survivor who watched you yesterday said she saw you show no warmth, no empathy or even mention the victims."
"I beg your pardon," Ms White said after the interjections.
"I am directly quoting a victim-survivor. How insulting."
Mr Gutwein later stood up in parliament to acknowledge his MPs had caused offence.
The Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings is examining many allegations of abuse in state settings, including by Griffin.
Griffin was a paediatric nurse at Launceston General Hospital for 19 years.
He was charged in 2019 with child sexual abuse offences and took his own life.
The commission held its opening hearing on October 26 last year.
It will recommence its hearings in May, with hearings to be held in Hobart and Launceston.