Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

I will briefly respond. I thank you for acknowledging that this is a good program and for recognising the work that the government is doing. I recognise that you also have problems with it. Senator Brown, this government and Minister Brough responded very responsibly in the discussions about why they were moving into the communities. They were responding to an independent report that indicated that there was widespread sexual abuse of children in the Northern Territory—I respect the issues that you have been talking about—and that is why it was declared a national emergency and we moved on it. Nobody is in disagreement about the circumstances that are there. As I said, I do not want to drag this matter on but I do not think I can leave the record unclarified. This was a response to sexual abuse of our most vulnerable First Australians. I am very proud of the government’s intervention in this matter.