Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation are Australia's great and silent shame. The harm inflicted upon our kids at home, at school, in the community and, importantly, online often goes unreported. Bravehearts estimates that eight per cent of boys and one in five girls are sexual abuse survivors in this country. Just think about those stats again, in particular for young girls: one in five. These are vulnerable, dependent, innocent children.

I want to acknowledge the work of the AFP and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, launched by the coalition government. Since its inception in 2018, the ACCCE, as it is commonly referred to, has supported the AFP to rescue 517 children from harm. Tragically, with nearly 37,000 reports of online child abuse in 2021-22, the problem is only getting worse. In the past four years, the number of reports received by the ACCCE has more than doubled.

The scourge of child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation is heinous and hidden. It requires a whole-of-nation response. I want to pay tribute to the bold organisations in my electorate of Fisher doing vital work in this space. Rachel Downie and her team at Stymie are employing digital technology to support schools in stamping out bullying and child abuse. Conrad and his team at IFYS Project Paradigm are leading the way when it comes to countering child sexual exploitation. Annie, Tracey, Jeanette and the team at No More Fake Smiles are supporting victims-survivors in their fight for justice and bringing light to the issue. Paul Mergard and his team at Destiny Rescue are working across the world to free people, especially children, trapped in sexual slavery.

On that note, I was watching a television program the other day that showed that Australian men are the second greatest cohort of people anywhere in the world—second only to the United States—that go to Asia, in particular, to sexually exploit children. This is an unbelievable blight on this nation. Australian men, the second-worst recidivists, are travelling to Asia, in particular, to sexually exploit children. That is just unbelievable. I want to commend the now opposition leader, who, when he was in the relevant portfolio, put in place the ability to block some of these individuals if we suspect that they are travelling overseas to commit these sorts of heinous crimes.

We know that there are many instances—hundreds of thousands of incidents—where children are exploited online for the sexual gratification of, let's face it, men. I can't remember the last time I heard a story of a woman—well, I can think of one, but I won't go there. It is absolutely, overwhelmingly men that are the perpetrators. This is not beating up on men, but we, men of good character, have got to call this out. If we don't, who will?

I want to send a very big shout-out also to Bruce and Denise Morcombe of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. My eldest daughter went to school with Daniel Morcombe. We were in the same area in Palmwoods. I vividly remember the day when Daniel was taken. I want to thank Bruce and Denise for their absolutely tireless work in protecting young children from sexual exploitation.

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