Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Hansard source

The motion calls for a royal commission into child sexual abuse. It calls for an audit of programs that exist to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians. And it seeks to understand the PM's plan B for closing the gap, now that his Voice is no longer the answer.

Child sexual abuse is an uncomfortable subject that we must all get better at speaking about. To do anything else silences the victims and survivors and does nothing to protect those who might come after.

To quote directly from the 2007 Little children are sacred report into Aboriginal child sexual abuse in the Northern Territory:

Sexual abuse of children is not restricted to those of Aboriginal descent, nor committed only by those of Aboriginal descent, nor to just the Northern Territory. The phenomenon knows no racial, age or gender borders. It is a national and international problem.

Importantly though, the report goes on to say:

The classic indicia of children likely to suffer neglect, abuse and/or sexual abuse are, unfortunately, particularly apparent in Aboriginal communities. Family dysfunctionality, as a catch-all phrase, reflects and encompasses problems of alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, housing shortages, unemployment and the like. All of these issues exist in many Aboriginal communities.

I acknowledge they do not exist in all families, but we cannot be blind to the risk factors being greater and the silencing, unfortunately, louder.

And I don't forget that it was you, Labor, that ended the CDC. And you ended the alcohol restrictions without jumping in and having them reinstated quickly. The Greens want to talk about violence and dispossession in the context of a truth and justice commission, to facilitate healing and a way forward—at a cost of $250 million? No. I want to talk about the here and now—the uncomfortable, the difficult, the too-hard. That's my priority.

Just imagine if, instead, that level of funding was directed to families to keep their children safe—prevention; to identify at-risk behaviours—prevention; and so that victims and survivors are better supported—prevention. You know this is an issue. For example, in your own budget in 2023, there was a reference to $1.4 million over four years for increasing specialist services for children with harmful sexual behaviours in the Northern Territory. But the detail that informs that is lacking.

The 2007 Little children are sacred report asks that Aboriginal child sexual abuse in the Northern Territory be designated an issue of urgent national significance. I want to know, 16 years later: is $1.4 million a year enough? A royal commission would tell us that. As the shadow minister for child protection, it is clear from the conversations with the sector that it is past time to start talking about this. Giving unfettered voice to the stories of the sector and those impacted the most will make the difference.

The PM must surely see the need to agree to an audit of Commonwealth funded organisations because this is connected to that. Those delivering services and charged with improving lives must do better. But Labor has no ears for that, the Greens have no ears for that and nor does Senator David Pocock. By holding ministers, the bureaucracy, the agencies and service providers to account, we can make a difference to the lives of families, who can make a difference to their own lives because they have the tools, infrastructure and response to help them do that. That's where the rubber hits the road. That's where the greatest impact will be, and that's why there is no reason or excuse to wait.

In recent months we've called for inquiries into the billions of dollars of Commonwealth funding for the myriad organisations and agencies who provide services to communities. The Australian media was screaming examples of maladministration and possible corruption in organisations that service our most vulnerable. Labor, the Greens and Senator David Pocock said no. There are organisations in the service delivery ecosystem doing it right, but everyone needs to do it right together. An audit will show what is working, what we need to do more of or less of and what we need to stop doing. We need to put the children at the centre and leave ideology at the door.

So far this year 48 women have died, thought to be a consequence of family violence, and the collateral damage is almost always the children. Ideology must be exchanged for common sense. I refer to the Alice Springs women's shelter, where 95 per cent of the women who flee are Indigenous. Yet did they get a look at any of the funding for the so-called A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia plan? No, because they're not Aboriginal community controlled. We must be courageous, we must be uncomfortable and we must remain focused on outcomes for the children if we are to change their futures. Get real!