Dave Tollner (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Is the minister aware of further allegations of violence and crime in remote Aboriginal communities? Would the minister update the House on measures being taken by the federal government to overcome this appalling situation?

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 Solomon for his genuine interest in this disturbing area. Unfortunately, since the allegations and the statements by Nanette Rogers from the Northern Territory DPP earlier in the year, there has been a steady flow of commentary both in the press and in direct correspondence to my department about very serious allegations of both sexual and violent crimes against women and children, in particular boys, in many remote communities. These are things that I am sure disturb all of us in this House.

I want to bring the House up to date with some of the steps that have been undertaken by the federal government subsequent to our summit into the violence and sexual abuse, where the federal government committed $130 million to try and address some of these serious issues with the provision of additional police, through bilaterals with states and territories and by instigating a national intelligence desk which will be operating from Alice Springs early next month. That will build on the success of the Central Australia intelligence desk dealing with interdiction of illegal substances, which has been very successful and again has been a commitment from the Howard government to those communities.

I was in Alice Springs last Saturday and I announced that the dog sniffer team that we had committed back in May had been accepted by the Territory government. I commend the Territory government for adding additional dog teams to this one so that there will be two stationed in Alice Springs, and through the APY lands in South Australia and through the central desert areas we can take further steps in removing individuals who are supplying illicit substances to these communities. There is much more to be done. The bilaterals are coming along. South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales have signed up. We will be having further negotiations with the Territory, Queensland and the other states early next month.

Going back to the original question from the member for Solomon, he asked about whether I am aware of any further allegations. I am also aware of the allegation of the rape of a 12-year-old boy in Maningrida in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. This was reported to some small extent, considering this is alleged to have occurred over a three-month period. A 12-year-old male was raped by five juveniles and five adults from that community. It raised with me the concern I have as to why this had not been more widely reported, as I am sure it would have been in almost any other part of the country. One of the conclusions I have come to is that unfortunately with Maningrida, like so many other remote Indigenous communities, people still require permits to go there. They need to seek the permission of a select group in order to be able to go directly to these communities. I know from personal experience that on occasions when the media has wanted to accompany—

Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You name the child by naming the community.

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

Order! The member for Swan!

Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You name the child by naming the community.

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

Order! The member for Swan is warned!

Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is outrageous.

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

Order! The member for Swan will remove himself under standing order 94(a)

The member for Swan then left the chamber.

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

I think the member for Swan, as he makes his way out of the chamber, would like to know that what I am referring to here has been on ABC and has been in the Australian. Unlike so many in this House, he too has probably been unaware of this alleged heinous crime.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Bird interjecting

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

The member for Cunningham is warned!

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

I believe that the time has come for us and the federal government to look at the legislation that we need to remove in the territories and some states where we require people to get a permit in order to be able to go to these communities. We cannot allow—

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That’s rubbish.

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

Order! The member for Lingiari!

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

We can no longer allow the situation to occur where children are being abused, where these various serious crimes are being perpetrated on people and where the full glare of Australia’s public through its media cannot be brought to bear so that Australians demand that this no longer occur. The federal government has spoken with $130 million worth of commitments. We are working with the states and territories but it is time that the permit system be removed. I know the member for Solomon believes this. He called for it in July. I support his call for it—

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He doesn’t represent any of the communities.

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

Order! The member for Lingiari!

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

and I hope that the states and territories will also support this call.

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Snowdon interjecting

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

The member for Lingiari will remove himself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Lingiari then left the chamber.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At least he doesn’t mislead the electorate like you on truth in labelling.

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

Order! The member for Batman is warned!