At last, the government has to listen. Those were the thoughts of survivor Katrina Munting after the closing hearing of an inquiry into child sexual abuse in Tasmanian government-run institutions. A report by the commission, which was called in 2020 after the airing of allegations against a Launceston General Hospital nurse, will contain 191 recommendations. It will be delivered to the state's governor on Thursday and is expected to be made public on September 26. Ms Munting, who was abused as a teenager by her high school teacher, was one of 165 witnesses who gave evidence during nine weeks of hearings last year. "We have collectively given so much of ourselves to the commission," she said on Wednesday. "191 recommendations. On one hand that is abysmal. "But on the other hand it fills me with hope because that is 191 things that we can fix so young people don't have to experience what we experienced. "The government has to listen. Finally they have to listen." Azra Beach gave evidence at the inquiry about being sexually and physically abused while in state foster care and said she felt forgotten by the state government. At the final hearing, commissioner Leah Bromfield noted the government had not made any significant investments or reform for out-of-home care during the inquiry. "It was so validating to finally get that recognition because for so long out-of-home care ... has been ignored across the board," Ms Beach said. Premier Jeremy Rockliff has pledged to implement all the report's recommendations. He repeated an apology to survivors for past government failings and said additional resources for support services would continue to be provided in coming weeks. Ben Felton told the inquiry his alleged abuse at the Launceston General Hospital in the 1980s had been covered up. He said he lost everything as a result. "I wanted to acknowledge all those others who have come forward privately, who aren't standing here with us. They're not alone," he said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Australian Associated Press
