Doctor Tomison has overseen significant reform and delivered a number of major projects while at the helm of the Department.
Justice was formed in 2017 when the Departments of the Attorney General and Corrective Services were joined and now employs around 7000 staff across 10 divisions.
Appointed just prior to the amalgamation, Doctor Tomison led the new Department of Justice through a complex and challenging period.
“This has been a difficult decision but now is the right time for me professionally and personally to resign from Justice and consider new opportunities,” Dr Tomison said.
“The Department has undergone significant transformation and I want to thank all the hard-working staff from across the Department – from the back room, corporate services, to the policy, legislative drafting and analytics teams and our important frontline services.”
He said significant prison infrastructure projects had been delivered along with innovative prison services including alcohol and drug rehabilitation, mental health and Aboriginal cultural support and language programs.
A recognised expert in the prevention of child maltreatment and family violence and research, Dr Tomison came to Justice after heading statutory child protection services in the Northern Territory and the Australian Institute of Criminology.
“By far the most difficult challenge of my career has been youth detention and managing the complex cohort of young people who emerged post-pandemic with a level of violence and destructive behaviour not previously seen.
“I am hopeful we have turned a corner, stabilised Banksia Hill and have a positive plan for a more enhanced therapeutic model and the development of a second facility to deliver safe and secure services for all young people in detention.”
Doctor Tomison said he was proud Justice staff had produced a substantial body of policy and legislative drafting work to support the government’s key priorities and strong law reform agenda.
“The Department’s Parliamentary Counsel’s Office and Strategic Reform were also the engine rooms for major legislative reform, assisting enabling the government to respond to the COVID pandemic,” Dr Tomison said.
“Other reforms had major community impacts such as ceasing warrants of commitment for fine defaulters and creating a new work development scheme so disadvantaged people avoided prison for fines alone,” Dr Tomison said.
“Expanding the role of the Office of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime has helped family violence and sexual assault policy development and victim survivors have access to supports such as the National Redress Scheme.”
Dr Tomison cited the Integrated Court Management System, the implementation of the eCourts Plan across much of the Court and Tribunal system and the growth in specialist therapeutic courts among the Department’s other key achievements.
The complex Department also delivers guardianship to the WA community through the Public Advocate and Public Trustee as well as the services of the Registry of Births, Death and Marriages and funding for the Legal Assistance sector.
Reform was also driven within the Department by Dr Tomison with the creation of a new People, Standards and Culture division to ensure professional and ethical conduct and the WA Office of Crime Statistics and Research to ensure policy and practice reform was evidence-based.
Dr Tomison will continue in the role until late-January 2024. His replacement will be appointed in the new year.
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