Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I stand here to add my support for a royal commission into child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are three times more likely to experience sexual assault than non-Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 5.3 times more likely to be reported to child protection from the community. A royal commission will shine a bright light into a very dark corner and make recommendations for real change.

I used to work at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre. I worked in the behaviour support unit. We would see, time and time again, young people come from the communities who had been sent there for committing crimes of sexual assault and rape. When speaking to these young men, you'd find out that this happened to them, to their brothers, to their cousins and to people they know. The saddest thing was that, when this particular young man was released, he was given back to the people that failed him—the people that caused his harm.

That's why I believe we need to have this royal commission. And for all of you who voted not to have a royal commission to protect our most vulnerable—to protect our children—I ask you to look inwards. It is our responsibility as leaders to move forward and make sure that we are protecting the young people of this country. If you don't think this is the right thing to do, I think that you should revisit your position as parliamentarians.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind the member for Herbert to direct his comments through the chair in the future.