Mothers affected by historical forced adoption practices are now again being forced to forgo their legal autonomy, because of a heartless decision by the Rockliff Liberal Government.

Despite written assurance before the 2025 election that they would not use the statute of limitations to limit people’s ability to take their own civil action, the Government has now gone back on that promise.

In effect this means affected mothers who choose not to opt in to the civil redress scheme will be left without a legal avenue for compensation.

This is a shameful backflip from the Liberal Government, and a heartless broken promise from Premier Rockliff. 

These women deserve justice and have fought for it for decades. Others went to their graves without the support they needed.

The Government establishing a civil redress scheme was warmly welcomed by all sides of politics, but the Government has now muddied this with this heartless decision.

Mothers who had their babies forcibly removed at birth deserve to be properly recognised for the harm inflicted upon them, and to be treated with the dignity and respect they have long been denied. 

Mothers deserve the option to opt into the Government’s scheme. Effectively removing their civil remedy options flies in the face of this.

The Tasmanian Government had the opportunity to establish a nation-leading redress scheme. Instead, Treasurer Eric Abetz has strong-armed Premier Rockliff and Attorney-General Guy Barnett into saving a buck on the backs of women who have experienced significant pain and suffering to pay for 13 years of Liberal waste.