Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I'll keep taking these interjections if the hapless minister wants to continue to provide them. This is a crucial matter for our parliament. In my opening remarks to this bill, when the minister introduced it, I had a very different tone. I appeal to the decency of those opposite, the decency that I know is there amongst virtually all members of this House, the decency that you would not make a decision that you know is going to hurt children. And yet they proceed with this destructive course. If you don't want to listen to me, listen to people who are in the affected communities about the impact of the CDC. Again, this is from Perry Will in Ceduna: 'Don't take it away.' He was saying, 'Look out the window. Take a walk around. See the difference for yourself. The CDC's been terrific for the town in reducing violence, increasing tourism, improving safety for women.' The list of quotations is extraordinarily long. From a refuge worker in the East Kimberley—this is probably the most powerful: 'Since the CDC, the seriousness of assaults seen by the refuge has declined.' So, Minister, do not— (Time expired)

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