Child sexual abuse at Launceston General Hospital
For many families across northern Tasmania, Launceston General Hospital has been a place of healing and care. But for a number of children and young people who were patients there, it became a site of profound betrayal, and for too long, the institution failed to act on warnings that could have protected them.
The hospital became the primary focus of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings, which reported in September 2023. At the centre of the Commission’s findings was James Griffin, a paediatric nurse who worked on the children’s ward at Launceston General Hospital for nearly 20 years. In July 2019, Tasmania Police searched Griffin’s home and uncovered large quantities of child exploitation material. He was charged with numerous sexual offences relating to children and subsequently stood down from his position.
What the Commission of Inquiry found
The Commission’s investigation revealed that concerns about Griffin’s behaviour with children had been raised over many years by colleagues, by patients, and by others who came into contact with him. Each time, those concerns were dismissed, minimised, or not properly investigated. The Commission found that Launceston General Hospital had failed to identify and respond to repeated red flags across Griffin’s long tenure at the hospital.
This was not an isolated case. The Commission found evidence of allegations involving other staff members at Launceston General Hospital prior to Griffin’s employment, pointing to systemic failures in the hospital’s culture and governance around child safety. The Commission also received evidence of abuse connected to other Tasmanian hospitals, including Royal Hobart Hospital.
The Commission concluded that the hospital had not learned from earlier incidents, and that a culture of complacency and institutional self-protection had allowed abuse to continue far longer than it should have. Missed opportunities by Launceston General Hospital, Tasmania Police, and Child Safety Services were identified as factors in the prolonged harm suffered by victim-survivors.
Who may be affected
If you were a patient, or the family member of a patient, at Launceston General Hospital and experienced abuse or have concerns about the conduct of a staff member – including but not limited to James Griffin – you may be entitled to compensation.
Recent changes to Tasmanian law have removed many of the previous barriers to making a civil claim for historical institutional abuse. You do not need to have been part of any previous inquiry or police investigation to seek legal advice. Many survivors have never come forward before, and it is not too late to do so.
How MEJ can help
At MEJ, we have helped hundreds of survivors across Tasmania and beyond to obtain fair compensation, formal acknowledgment, and where possible, a direct response from the institutions responsible. We understand that coming forward requires courage, and we are committed to walking alongside you at every stage of the process – with compassion, without judgment, and with your interests at the centre of everything we do.
If you or someone you know has been affected by abuse in any of these settings, MEJ is here to help. Contact us today for a free, confidential conversation with our team, or call 1800 570 778.
If you need immediate support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Sexual Assault Crisis Line on 1800 697 877 (available 24/7).