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Victorian Government’s response to the Board of Inquiry report
The Victorian Government has released its response to the Board of Inquiry into historical child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School and certain other government schools on Wednesday 19 June 2024.
In its response, the Victorian Government has accepted all 9 recommendations, either in full or in principle, made by the Inquiry and dedicated $48.29 million to progress the vital work.
The Victorian Government is committed to meaningful consultation with victim-survivors, their families, supporters and affected communities as a key feature underpinning successful implementation of the recommendations.
A stakeholder engagement process will be established, with further updates shortly.
Read the Victorian Government response to the Board of Inquiry.
Summary of recommendations
- Recommendation 1: Issue a statewide public apology in Parliament.
- Recommendation 2: Create a memorial for Beaumaris Primary School and consistent policy guidance and processes on memorials for other government schools.
- Recommendation 3: Establish a statewide independent truth-telling and accountability process.
- Recommendation 4: Introduce a restorative engagement program for adult victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in government schools outside of civil litigation and Redress Scheme processes.
- Recommendation 5: Improve information access through trauma-informed practices for responding to requests for information and improved records management.
- Recommendation 6: Implement website and telephone line information and assistance for victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in government schools.
- Recommendation 7: Pilot a coordination, navigation, and advocacy support function for adult victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in schools.
- Recommendation 8: Implement a targeted program of work to improve service responses, including a formal peer support program, consistent service prioritisation, and promotion.
- Recommendation 9: Legislative reform to ensure the enduring protection of personal information provided to boards of inquiry.
How implementation will be overseen
Since the Board of Inquiry handed down its final report, the Victorian Government has moved quickly to establish a robust governance and accountability structure and framework to support implementation of the Board of Inquiry’s recommendations.
For further information about the implementation of the recommendations, please read the Victorian Government response to the Board of Inquiry.
About the Board of Inquiry
The Victorian Government established a Board of Inquiry into historical child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School and certain other government schools in June 2023.
The Inquiry focused on a significant cluster of known abuse at Beaumaris Primary School, as well as other government schools where the same former employees worked, in the 1960s and 1970s.
The inquiry gave victim-survivors the opportunity to put their experiences on the public record and aimed to provide a level of healing for victim-survivors, secondary victims, and communities.
The Board of Inquiry was chaired by Kathleen Foley SC and conducted in accordance with the Terms of Reference(opens in a new window) published in the Victorian Government Gazette(opens in a new window) (Reference number S339 Published 28 June 2023).
Public hearings were held between October 2023 and late November 2023.
Board of Inquiry report
The Board of Inquiry delivered its report to the Governor on 26 February 2024 in accordance with its Terms of Reference.
The Board of Inquiry’s findings and recommendations report was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday 6 March.
The Board of Inquiry heard evidence of child-sexual abuse perpetrated by 4 main perpetrators against children at Beaumaris Primary School and 23 other schools that they worked at between the 1960s and 1980s.
The report examined the Department of Education’s response to historical child sexual abuse at the relevant time.
The report also explored appropriate ways to support healing for victim-survivors, secondary victims and affected communities, and assesses the effectiveness of support services for adult victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in government schools.
The report made 9 recommendations to the Victorian Government.
You can read the final report on the Board of Inquiry website(opens in a new window).
You can also read the Statement from the Premier(opens in a new window) in response to the tabling of the report.
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