Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You could not pick up The Age this morning and not be absolutely moved by the most extraordinary act of courage I have ever seen. These brave, beautiful men from Ballarat are in Rome currently to bear witness for the many survivors of childhood sexual abuse whose stories we are hearing day after day through the royal commission. These men have more courage than I have ever seen anybody show. I am so extraordinarily proud of them every single day for the lives that they have lived, and for the people who love them and who are supporting them there in Rome. The voices and hearts of my community are with them.

An important issue, though, is what happens next? The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released its final report into redress and civil litigation. It contains detailed recommendations about a national redress scheme. I am shocked to hear that this government has not actually acted on it. It seems to be leaving this entirely up to the states and institutions to deal with and it is frankly not good enough. These men and women have waited long enough for redress. The government needs to have a national redress scheme immediately.