Message from the Secretary
I am pleased to present the 2023–24 Annual Report of the Department of Justice, which provides a summary of the extensive work undertaken across all areas of the Department over the last 12 months.
A significant focus for the Department of Justice, and across Government, over the last year has been on developing and implementing our response to the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings. Following the release of the Final Report of the Commission in December 2023, the Department of Justice was tasked with leading the implementation of 36 recommendations, 10 of which were due by 30 June 2024. I am pleased that staff from across the Department were able to work together to deliver 9 of these by 30 June, along with 2 phase 2 recommendations not due until 2026. The remaining phase 1 recommendation relates to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and will be included in a series of reforms to their legislation due to be presented to Parliament in September.
The Department is leading the innovative whole-of-Government Commission of Inquiry Legislative program under which our skilled Strategic Legislation and Policy team will coordinate the progression of all the 54 Commission of Inquiry recommendations that require law reform over the next five years. We have also established a specialised Taskforce within the Department which will lead the implementation, coordination and reporting on the Commission’s recommendations. The Taskforce is providing support to the multiple independent reviews commissioned by the Tasmanian Government following the conclusion of the Commission’s work to ensure the reviewers have access to all the information and resources they require.
There remains significant work to do to deliver all of the Commission’s recommendations and ensure the safety of children and young people, but this is a priority for both the Department of Justice and many others across government and the community. I am confident that with a continued commitment to this important work we will continue to make progress and deliver on all of the Commission’s recommendations as scheduled. I am grateful to all those involved in progressing this very important work that will make a strong contribution to keeping Tasmania’s children and young people safe and thank everyone for making this a priority for us.
Outside of the response to the Commission of Inquiry there has been a significant range of other work undertaken and a number of achievements across all areas of the Department during 2023–24.
As is the case each year, the Department continues to manage a heavy policy and legislative development workload, supporting each of our Ministers and progressing much of the Government’s legislative agenda. In addition to preparing 28 Bills which were either tabled in, or debated by the Parliament, in 2023–24 the Strategic Legislation and Policy team also progressed policy work on a number of important future reforms, managed multiple consultation processes and made or remade 10 sets of Regulations.
The Department also continues to progress a number of major projects both in terms of physical infrastructure and ICT upgrades. While projects of this size are incredibly complex and generally take several years or more to deliver, we continue to make good progress and achieve project milestones.
I was proud to launch the Department’s Disability Action Plan in late 2023 as part of our ongoing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. This Action Plan aims to enhance diversity within our workforce, fostering an inclusive workplace culture, and ensuring our services are accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Pleasingly during 2023–24, the Department’s Safe at Home Coordination Unit received permanent funding which allowed us to recruit staff on an ongoing basis to continue our important work in collaboration with other service partners to deliver an integrated criminal justice response to family violence.
The Department led the preparation for the commencement of the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023 (the Act) on 1 January 2024, including education and awareness raising within the community and supporting the establishment of the Office of the Independent Regulator to manage the ongoing implementation of the Act. The focus has now shifted to working to ensure the Department leads by example and becomes a child safe organisation itself. This is a significant project which will be led by a dedicated team and involve updating policies and procedures, training for staff and employee screening amongst other things.
In early 2024 the Department launched an innovative recruitment program for legal graduates, creating an employment pathway for those just starting their legal careers. Developed in collaboration with the University of Tasmania’s Law School and the Centre for Legal Studies, the program allows legal graduates to gain valuable experience working part time as a Graduate Legal Officer within the Department while undertaking the Tasmanian Legal Practice Course. On completion of their studies the graduates work full time with the Department for a further 6 months. The 12 graduates in the inaugural intake are employed in a range of areas across the Department and participate in a professional development program that allows them to hear from senior legal practitioners and learn more about the opportunities to progress their legal career within the State Service. This is an excellent example of key stakeholders working together to address a previous gap in our recruitment process.
Across the Corrections and Rehabilitation portfolio we continue to progress the initiatives set out in Changing Lives, creating futures – A Strategic Plan for Corrections in Tasmania. This includes continuing to invest in our physical infrastructure and upgrading systems, expanding the range of programs and interventions available to ensure offenders have access to rehabilitation and self-improvement opportunities and supporting our correctional workforce who play a vital role in achieving all these other initiatives.
Regulatory changes across WorkSafe Tasmania and Consumer, Building and Occupational Services help ensure workers and consumers are appropriately protected. Key steps taken in 2023-24 to achieve this include amending the list of cancers which employment as a firefighter is presumed to have caused, moving to prohibit the use, manufacture and supply of engineered stone, progressing work to expand the scope of the Registration to Work With Vulnerable People scheme and commencing legislative provisions which enhance the protections for consumers building a house.
Throughout 2023-24 we have also been required to adapt in the face of some unexpected changes that have occurred. We had several Ministerial changes over the course of the year which required work to brief incoming Ministers and support them in taking on their new responsibilities. The announcement of an earlier than expected election in early 2024 also created change as we prepared for an incoming government and then worked to progress election commitments, particularly those included in the new government’s first 100-day plan.
Whilst I have focused here on some of our headline projects and initiatives, it would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the significant workload associated with business as usual in an organisation as large and diverse as the Department of Justice. Much of the work undertaken across the Department goes largely unnoticed by most people, however we provide a range of important services to the Tasmanian community with all Tasmanians likely to interact with us in some capacity.
I would particularly like to thank the current leadership of the Department, including our four Deputy Secretaries, Output Managers and Statutory Office holders (and people who have acted in these roles) for their contribution during 2023–24. The demands on these individuals are significant and I feel fortunate to have had the benefit of being supported by such a capable and dedicated team leading staff across the Department to deliver services and outcomes for the Tasmanian community.
I would also like to acknowledge our hardworking staff in all areas of the Department, some of whom work in challenging roles and environments. Without the knowledge, skills and commitment of our people we would not be able to achieve any of the things included in this Annual Report. I have been proud to lead such a fantastic team of people for the last 5 years.
This will be my last Annual Report as Secretary of the Department of Justice, ahead of my retirement from the State Service on 31 July 2024. I leave with mixed feelings having spent the best part of more than 20 years with the Department in a range of roles. The time has gone so quickly and whilst there is much more I would like to have been able to achieve I am also proud of all we have been able to deliver and of the way in which we have gone about our work. As I noted above, I am supported by an incredible team and am confident that they will continue to progress our important work in line with our organisational values, supporting Tasmanians and ensuring access to justice.
Additional information on all the initiatives I have referred to above, along with qualitative and quantitative performance reports, financial statements and information required to be published to meet a range of compliance obligations, is provided throughout the subsequent sections of this annual report, which I commend to you.
Ginna Webster
Secretary
Department of Justice
30 July 2024
About Us
Here is a snapshot of our Department as at 30 June 2024. Download our Annual Report from the link below to read about us in more detail.
Quick facts
In 2023-24 the Department
- Had staff in more than 30 office/building locations across the State.
- Awarded 39 contracts with a total value of 65.5 million – 29 of these, valued at more than $35 million, went to Tasmanian businesses.
- Administered more than 230 pieces of legislation across 4 portfolio areas.
- Collected more than $22.8 million in fines and finalised more than 113,800 debts.
- Developed 28 Bills that were either introduced into, debated, or passed by Parliament, and remade 10 sets of regulations.
People
1,784 staff equating to 1,683.3 full time equivalents (FTE)
1,041 women
- 747 female full-time staff
- 294 female part time staff
743 men
- 687 male full-time staff
- 56 male part-time/casual staff
*Note: 8 employees identify as non-binary, use a different term to describe their gender, or have not disclosed their gender.
Age
- 12% are aged under 30
- 25% are aged between 30 and 39
- 23% are aged between 40 and 49
- 27% are aged between 50 and 59
- 13% are aged 60 and over
Achievements
Highlights amongst the range of projects and initiatives progressed across the Department during the 2023-24 reporting period include:
Worked with stakeholders to prepare for the start of the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023 on 1 January 2024 and establishing the Office of the Independent Regulator.
Progressed work to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in their interactions with the Department.
Launched the Department’s People, Culture and Inclusion Disability Action Plan 2024–2027.
Progressed two major technology solutions: Astria and PlanBuild Tasmania.
Completed 9 of the 10 Phase 1 Commission of Inquiry recommendations that the Department is responsible for, by the 30 June deadline.
Progressed all election commitments under the Tasmanian Government’s first 100 Day Plan that the Department was responsible for within that timeframe.
Established the Commission of Inquiry Response Taskforce to lead the Department’s response to the Commission of Inquiry.
Launched a new, user-focused Department of Justice website in October 2023.
Introduced the Justice Facility Dog Program to support vulnerable witnesses in their interactions with the justice system.
Implemented legislation to enable Serial Family Violence Perpetrator Declarations and introduced mandated behaviour change programs for family violence perpetrators.
Progressed the Tasmanian Government’s legislative reform agenda through the tabling and/or passage of 28 Bills.
Introduced facility-based teams within the Tasmania Prison Service to create a more efficient and integrated service model and deliver improved rehabilitation outcomes.
Established a partnership with the Aboriginal Legal Service to provide culturally appropriate support services to Aboriginal people in custody.
Launched an innovative Legal Graduate Program to provide a path from university study to employment for law graduates and expose them to the legal careers available within the Department.
Progressed development of the Strategic Asset Management Plan to improve the administration of justice, including court and correctional facilities.
Acquired the site for the new Burnie Courts Complex and appointed the architectural design team.
Progressed key infrastructure projects at the Risdon Prison Complex, including the new kitchen and additional maximum security accommodation unit.
Implementing a Risk Management Framework and Procedure as part of an increased focus on understanding and managing the Department’s key strategic risks.
Downloads
Department of Justice Annual Report 2023-24 (PDF, 4.4 MB)
Contact communications@justice.tas.gov.au for more information.
Visit the National Library of Australia for earlier annual reports.
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