Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute to the debate on the Social Security Amendment (Supporting Australian Victims of Terrorism Overseas) Bill 2011. The bill was introduced by the former Attorney-General, the honourable member for Barton, and it seeks to introduce comprehensive assistance for those affected directly by acts of terrorism. This is a cause that since 2009 has been championed by the coalition through the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Paterson, during which time the coalition sought to introduce a private member's bill into the House and the Senate to make progress on this vital issue. I remark that it is really great to see the government come to the table three years later in order to work towards a common objective of assisting those affected by these tragedies! It is disappointing that this government is yet to demonstrate any element of bipartisanship by voting for an opposition private member's bill in this split 43rd Parliament. We have heard much about a 'new paradigm' from the member for Lyne, but I want to put it on the record that, when a worthwhile private member's bill is put forward by the opposition, it is voted down with the help of the so-called Independent members and then the bills are reintroduced as government bills.

Terrorism is a crime that is not isolated in its impact. It affects society, communities, individuals, victims and their families. Therefore, government should not be isolated in its response. Instead, it should provide comprehensive assistance to Australians affected abroad. Unfortunately, in only the recent past there are examples of Australians being victims of terrorist attacks in other countries. Australians have been killed or injured in acts of terrorism in New York, Bali, London, Jakarta and Mumbai.

These aforementioned acts of terrorism have seen ordinary Australians' lives dramatically affected by loss of life or injury. These attacks involving Australians overseas were not personally motivated but, rather, a political or ideological attack on Westerners. Indeed, in the case of the second Bali bombings, the perpetrators directly targeted Australians, not in retaliation for Australia's actions but because of our beliefs and our way of life.

I take a moment to reflect on the Bali bombings, that fateful day on 12 October 2002, when the deadliest act of terrorism in the history of Indonesia occurred. Just after 11 pm, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb in his backpack in a nightclub. Twenty seconds later, a much more powerful explosive was also detonated. Of course, the brutal strategy behind this was that a lot of Australians gravitate towards those venues while holidaying in Bali. These vile acts of terrorism were absolutely devastating—202 people were tragically killed, including 88 Australians.

We would all remember the tragic stories of the burns victims. I remember seeing photographs of some of the victims who were brought to the hospital. Those terrible images will never leave me. The saddest memorial service that I have ever had to attend as a member was in this House. It was to commemorate the deaths, the loss of life, as a result of the Bali bombings. I was in this place in 2002; I remember it so well. I remember the solemn occasion when John Howard stood and spoke for half an hour on the motion condemning the senseless destruction of lives that had occurred. The member for Hotham, then the Leader of the Opposition, also spoke in support of the motion. It was the saddest time and the saddest service that any member of parliament had attended.

Over the past 10 years, more than 300 Australian citizens have been the victims of vicious attacks carried out in the name of political belief and ideology. We must never, ever forget these victims. We owe it to these Australians to assist them and we owe it to all of those affected by these outrageous acts of barbarism. It must also be noted that after the terrorist attacks, particularly in the past, the government of the day administered financial and medical assistance to victims through government agencies. However, the responsibility of this nation is to its citizens and extends well beyond the immediacy of the cases of those who have been affected.

The Leader of the Opposition, when speaking on this subject in 2010, was right when he said:

There is a lifetime of pain for those people, physical and psychological and it needs to be acknowledged, recognised and in some way made up for by the wider Australian community.

It is hoped that this legislation will begin the process of recognising and making up for the trauma experienced by those seriously affected, either directly or indirectly, by terrorism overseas. This legislation has been a cause championed by the coalition and the Leader of the Opposition for three years and it has remained at the forefront of the minds of those on this side of the House during that time, as it should be at the forefront of the minds of all Australians, as it is a cause that is universal in its benefit to our fellow citizens travelling internationally.

Perpetrators of terrorism, their ideology and their methods should never be accepted by any society. However, society must recognise and must immediately come to the assistance of their victims. The indiscriminate nature of these acts leaves lives damaged. It is therefore only right for a government to actively assist those caught up in these crises abroad.

The government's proposed legislation, which builds on the work of the Leader of the Opposition's private member's bill, seeks to provide financial support of up to $75,000 to those Australian citizens injured by terrorism whilst overseas. The legislation also proposes to assist those close family members who are affected as a result of the death of a loved one due to an act of terrorism overseas, and financial assistance for close family members would also be provided, with a payment of up to $75,000 to assist with associated costs. Eligibility for these payments is subject to declaration of an overseas terrorist event by the Prime Minister of the day. Once the declaration has been made, relevant guidelines will assist the assessment of factors that may be used when determining a claim. Those who receive the payment will not have to repay Medicare, workers compensation or other benefits received from the Commonwealth, as is common with corresponding state and territory victims-of-crime compensation schemes. The legislation is about securing long term those who become victims of terrorism overseas and it is about giving them certainty. It is about giving them peace of mind that this country very much stands with them.

We are a united nation with strong bonds forged and shared values as a free, open and democratic country. When a terrorist commits a crime against these shared values and against one of our own citizens, we must always be there to stand steadfast against terrorism and to stand alongside our fellow Australians. We in this parliament must stand alongside all those Australians affected by acts of terrorism overseas through comprehensive assistance to deal with the long-term effects on them and their close family.

Australians will continue to find new possibilities and opportunities across the globe. This legislation is about ensuring that they are looked after if they are victims of a terrorist attack. We owe it to the victims of terrorism to do all that we can in this House to help them well into the future. I commend the bill to the House.

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