Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence: on behalf of the Liberal-National Party coalition, I would like to associate us with the comments made by the minister. This will be an acknowledgement for a lot of Australians—500,000, as the minister mentioned. I know that the Leader of the Opposition is looking forward to delivering the apology on behalf of the coalition on 16 November.

I was in an institution at an early age but was fortunate enough to move into a foster care situation, which was a positive outcome. Members of my family and many Australians suffered in institutions and as wards of state in abusive and uncaring situations. The members of CLAN, the forgotten Australian and UK migrants, and the other associations who represent those people are looking forward to this apology. It needs to be taken by all the members of this place and the other place and fed out to their electorates so that we make this apology as important and significant as we can. It is vital to these people. They are not looking to further or enhance their situation; they are just looking for acknowledgement that they suffered. They did suffer. They were put into institutions where they would have expected—as all Australians would have expected—that they would be nurtured and cared for, which they were not. So, on behalf of the coalition, I associate our side of the House with the minister’s comments. Excuse me for getting a bit emotional, but it is an important apology to these people. I thank you for the opportunity to acknowledge that.

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