Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I stand tonight to strongly support the government’s legislation before the Senate, the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007. At the outset, I want to empathise with Senator Crossin, the Labor senator from the Northern Territory, and say that I understand where she is coming from and the motivation she has, which is for the betterment of Indigenous communities and particularly Indigenous children in the Northern Territory. However, on this side of the Senate we do not lack compassion. Senator Crossin has indicated that we lack compassion. I say to Senator Crossin and those on the other side that the whole purpose, in fact the whole foundational philosophy behind this initiative, is driven by compassion—compassion and care for Indigenous communities and specifically for the safety and health of children in the Northern Territory.

It is true that I have learnt a great deal over the last week or so while getting abreast of the concerns that have been raised and getting my head around some of these issues. I want to say to Senator Bob Brown—who has referred to our government as a racist and a disgusting government—that I find those words hurtful and offensive. You are entitled in a democracy to your own views, but one of the key motivations behind this legislation is to ensure that those who are missing out, those who are suffering and those who are combating sexual abuse, particularly kids, are raised up. We want to remove them from the terrible situation in which they live. We need this emergency measure. We know that we have failed in the past. There have been many decades of failure across all levels of government, in particular by state governments. We have failed as a nation and it is time.

I would like to pay tribute right up-front to the Hon. Mal Brough, who is 100 per cent committed to the health and welfare of Indigenous communities in Australia and specifically in the Northern Territory. Minister, thank you and well done for biting the bullet, for leading us and for conveying to us that these people deserve respect and dignity. You want to give those children a chance in life. You want them to be able to achieve their best potential and achieve good health outcomes, education outcomes and social outcomes. You want them to be the best that they can be. That is the desire that Minister Mal Brough has shown us.

The Prime Minister and Minister Brough made that historic announcement on 21 June this year. It was a historic announcement because it was an emergency measure to respond to an emergency situation, and that is what happened. Six weeks prior to that June announcement, the Little children are sacred report, commissioned by the Northern Territory government, confirmed what the Australian government had been saying. It told the government in the clearest possible terms that sexual abuse of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory is serious, widespread and often unreported and that there is a strong association between alcohol abuse and sexual abuse of children. This government has said, ‘Enough is enough; we want to make a difference in the lives of these children in the Northern Territory,’ and that is what they have done. It is motivated by compassion, care and concern and a wish to give respect and dignity to these children so that they have a way through and a chance to make a go in life.

It has been a great honour to chair the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. I want to thank every one of the senators on that committee, including the participating senators, who appeared at the hearing on Friday last. We received a reference on 9 August 2007, and, yes, we had little time—we had one day, and it was a full day. I want to say to the witnesses who presented before that committee: thank you for doing what you could. I thought the submissions were thoughtful, well researched and well prepared. I want to thank all the senators on that committee. In particular, as committee chair, on behalf of the committee I want to thank the secretary of the committee, Jackie Morris, together with Julie Dennett, Tim Watling, Sophie Power, Alice Crowley, Judith Wuest and Michael Masters. What a great team and what a great effort they have undertaken on behalf of our Senate committee to pull together this report. I am proud of the report, which was tabled just a few hours ago in the Senate. I have referred to the various witnesses that appeared before the committee. I want to thank them for their efforts and for their contribution, which has been most valued.

The minister, Mal Brough, has said that the situation we are in at the moment requires urgent and immediate action. That is exactly what has happened. We have already had action on the ground up there with police, health and emergency services personnel. The minister has indicated that he is tremendously encouraged by the support that he has received for this emergency response from the government and from ordinary Australians. I want to take my hat off to the volunteers who have committed their own effort, time and resources to get up to the Northern Territory to make a difference on behalf of all Australians. This includes people from Tasmania like Dr Rob Walters, who gave his time and effort to do that. There are hundreds of people, and maybe more, who are volunteering. On behalf of all of us I say: thank you for that.