Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Minister, I refer to your proposals to restore law and order to Indigenous communities as a means of improving their overall economic and social wellbeing. What support has been given to these proposals?

Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Herbert for his question. He no doubt would have seen the report in the paper the other day from the Labor Lord Mayor of Townsville, who has asked not to be forgotten with regard to policing issues in dealing with the Indigenous community of Townsville. I am only too aware of the work that the member for Herbert is doing with the people of Palm Island, a troubled community and one that wants to do far better and understands the importance of real policing. I have been heartened by the fact that so many people from around the country are recognising the absolute necessity of ensuring that Aboriginal communities have the same rights as the rest of us—that is, to live in a free society that is free of violence—and that they have security in their own homes.

Today Magistrate Sue Gordon, who is Chairman of the National Indigenous Council, had this to say:

First and foremost, we have children who are being abused and the first priority ... is protection of children.

Maxine Schute, from the Alice Springs women’s shelter, a woman that comes in contact every day with the consequences of a breakdown in law and order, was reported to have said:

We have to look at a system where the perpetrators of these crimes are removed and not left in the community to spread fear, to intimidate those who have been strong enough to speak out.

Tom Calma, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, says:

This type of behaviour has no place in Aboriginal culture and customary law ...

And we agree with him. He says it:

... is no excuse to condone such behaviour. If an Indigenous person commits these types of offences they should be dealt with by the judicial system just as any other person would be.

The reality is that these communities have no faith in the judicial system because the perpetrators often, whilst on remand, get returned to these communities and that is where the fear and standover tactics come into play. It puts the fear of God into these people that if they stand up in a court of law and say what they know to put these perpetrators behind bars they will have payback. This is what has failed these people; this is what we are determined, once and for all, to deal with.

Today I have spoken with a number of Indigenous people right around Australia, outlining the way I see this moving forward. I want to highlight comments from two different individuals. The co-principle of the Daly River School, which is not far from Wadeye, is very concerned that the violence that has been occurring in Wadeye and with the dry season now coming will spill back out of Wadeye and into these other communities. He wants us to be aware of that. She says that there has been a lid on this for too long, that the people have had no voice and now they have hope. She says that people are hurting and they hope that they get the support they need. The support they need, first and foremost, are police on the ground so that crime can be reported and crime can be dealt with. It beggars belief that members opposite shake their heads saying that that is not the answer. Live in a community where your child cannot be safe because there are no police. I ask you to consider such consequences.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I refer you to standing order 90, which deals with improper reflections on members, a standing order you construed quite strictly last night. On a number of occasions now, and it seems the minister is about to do the same, there has been an implication from the government that somehow members of the opposition condone violence or child sexual abuse. There is no worse allegation that could be made in this place. It is grossly unparliamentary and you should prevent that improper motive being ascribed to members of the opposition.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business raises an important point. I remind all members of the points that were raised.

Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Finally, in speaking to one of these women today, who in fact I should not identify for obvious reasons—

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Then don’t!

Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It responds to some of the interjections that came across earlier to deal with housing. This woman has been in the field for 12 years working with family violence in remote communities. She said to me: ‘I want Australia to understand that this is not an issue about housing. I strongly reject the notion that it is about housing.

Laurie Ferguson (Reid, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Laurie Ferguson interjecting

Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am listening to people who are actually on the ground, who actually understand domestic violence. Let me tell you what a woman that deals with the consequences every single day says—not what the ALP says. She says that most of the abuse happens privately behind closed doors. She says, ‘It is especially a problem in remote homeland communities where overcrowding is not a problem.’ This government does not for one minute suggest that housing is adequate. We say that it is not an excuse to rape a child. We will continue to say that and we will continue to support these communities. Thankfully, Labor state governments today are willing to work with us.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Who says that?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No-one has ever said that.

Duncan Kerr (Denison, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a bunch of pious, canting, hypocrites!

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Denison.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a hypocritical stance. Who said that? Who said it, Mal? Who said it? Who?

Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Brough interjecting

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And be constructive.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. On the question of disorder and unparliamentary conduct, the minister just gestured at the opposition and said, ‘You say that,’ referring to his statement that there are people unnamed who somehow believe that overcrowded housing justifies the rape of a child. No member of the opposition has ever or would ever say something like that. That implication ought to be withdrawn. It is a disgrace.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! There have been far too many interjections coming from both sides of the House. I did not hear the particular point that you have made. There have been interjections from both sides of the House, quite a few of which members would, on reflection, probably think it better not to have been said. I will listen carefully, but I ask all members to show more restraint.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I accept you might not have heard it, but I heard it and members of the opposition heard it and it was accompanied by a hand gesture. It must be withdrawn. Mr Speaker, you cannot set this as the standard in this place. You cannot do that.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume her seat. If the minister made an offensive remark, he will withdraw.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did not hear the remarks.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on the question of disorderly remarks and unparliamentary language, it was the member for Denison who made a most unparliamentary comment, and I would ask him to withdraw it.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have ruled on that point that the member for Mackellar has made. There have been a number of interjections and a lot of disorder. It would assist all members if members on both sides would show more restraint.