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

For the sake of the House, just to explain, tomorrow is Day for Daniel in memory of Daniel Morcombe. The clock beat us today in the 90 second statements, but out of respect for the families I did want to make a statement so that's why I sought leave and am grateful for it.

It was a Sunday, early afternoon, and it was 7 December 2003. The boy was 13 years of age. He was at a bus stop on Nambour Connection Road wanting to go shopping for Christmas when he was abducted and murdered. His name was Daniel Morcombe. It's in Daniel's memory that many of us in this House today wear a red ribbon or a badge. Red is to signify the colour of the shirt that Daniel was wearing on that horrific day. It is red too that we will wear on Friday of this week when, together with Australians right across the nation, we will walk in solidarity with the Morcombe family to kickstart this year's Day for Daniel to raise awareness of child safety.

By starting the Daniel Morcombe Foundation his parents, Bruce and Denise, have turned a tragedy into a message of hope. They've worked tirelessly respecting the sanctity of life of children and helping to keep them safe from harm and abuse. On behalf of this House I say to Bruce and to Denise: we walk with you, we stand with you and we thank you.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I associate the opposition with the very fine words that have just been spoken by the member for Fairfax.

It's said that it takes a village to raise a child, and what the Daniel Morcombe Foundation teaches us all is that it also takes a village to protect a child, and because of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation my children are safer, along with the millions of children around this country. It's an incredible legacy of the life of Daniel Morcombe, a life which was stolen.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe might just be the bravest people in the country. They have faced an utterly unimaginable pain, but, in facing it over the last 15 years, what they've done is make Australia a much safer place for our kids. So I want to wish Bruce and Denise and all those at the Daniel Morcombe Foundation all the very best for tomorrow's Day for Daniel.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I thank both the member for Fairfax and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. I'm sure I speak for all members in saying even though time beat the member for Fairfax in 90-second statements I think it's worked out much better that we've done it this way.