Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 7 December 2003, a most depraved and sickening act took place on the Sunshine Coast, where a boy was abducted and murdered. He was 13, and his name was Daniel Morcombe. Daniel's parents, Bruce and Denise, have since established the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, which really is Daniel's legacy, as it educates, particularly, children and young people on the importance of personal safety. How they do it, I don't know—but they do, and I for one am eternally grateful that they do.

There are approximately 25,000 young people reported missing in Australia every single year. Thank God the vast majority of those are found safely within 24 hours, but a lot are not. It is vitally important that we take the inspiration from the Morcombes as far more than just turning a tragedy into a message of hope, but as a call to arms: that each of us have a responsibility to take care of children. Tomorrow, on this side of the parliament and across the aisles, we'll be wearing our red badges in memory of Daniel on the Day for Daniel.