Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the supplementary question. What I have said is that I think Senator Scullion seeks to misconstrue what Senator Crossin said. If he looks to the statement which she issued last night, she sought to clarify those remarks and as part of that she apologised if her remarks had been construed to suggest that all incidences of child sexual abuse and neglect are not matters of the greatest significance. That is the government’s view; I think it is the view of every senator in this place. I do not think playing Northern Territory politics with these issues is helpful. The Rudd Labor government continues to support the intervention financially and with all the political effort we can bring to it. I hope that it will deliver results for Indigenous children and the broader Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory.