Welcoming Tasmania’s inaugural Disability Commissioner – Ms Catherine Whitington (19 May 2025)

Hello everyone,

I am very pleased to welcome Ms Catherine Whitington who started on 12 May 2025 as Tasmania’s inaugural Disability Commissioner.

This appointment marks a major milestone for Tasmania and our disability community, as we take an important step forward under the Disability Rights, Inclusion and Safeguarding Act 2024.

The Act establishes the commissioner as a person with disability who operates independently of government, and sets out an ambitious, forward-thinking agenda to promote inclusion, uphold rights, and strengthen safeguards for people with disability across the state.

Ms Whitington will build upon the important work that Ms Mary Mallett started in the role of Interim Disability Commissioner.

Bringing a wealth of experience in government and not-for-profit sectors, Ms Whitington’s previous roles include Deputy Commissioner at the Office of the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner and as an Advocate in the Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People in South Australia. Her lived experience as a person with disability further enriches her approach, ensuring both her professional expertise and personal insights will guide this critical work.

As Disability Commissioner, Ms Whitington will lead a wide range of initiatives and responsibilities, including:

• Providing advice, assistance, recommendations and advocacy for people with disability while conducting research on disability inclusion and safeguarding.
• Promoting, monitoring, and reviewing the wellbeing of people with disability while fostering inclusion and accessibility across government and services, monitoring the Tasmanian Disability Inclusion Plan and supporting defined entities to comply with the Act.
• Promoting and educating about the rights of people with disability while building the capacity of people with disability to participate fully in community life.
• Establishing and monitoring safeguarding mechanisms to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect, coercion, and exploitation and taking action on allegations of abuse or neglect, including conducting investigations and referring matters as needed.
• Inquiring into issues affecting the rights of people with disability and engaging in regular consultation with the Disability Inclusion Advisory Council, people with disability, and representative organisations. I’m sure you will agree that this role will make a significant difference to the everyday lives of Tasmanians with disability.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Ms Whitington to DPAC and we look forward to working alongside her to help shape a more inclusive, respectful and safer Tasmania for all.

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks
Head of the State Service
Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet
19 May 2025