David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I wish to indicate the Greens' support for Senator Thorpe's request for amendment. The idea that we would permit a scheme to operate where a child can be abused in an Australian institution, on shore in Australia, but, no matter how horrific or longstanding the abuse and no matter the circumstances, unless they are a citizen or permanent resident they cannot seek compensation under the Redress Scheme for that abuse is something that, surely, all of us should reflect upon and think is deeply unfair. The effect of Senator Thorpe's requested amendment, which we support, is to say that, if you're a child and you've been abused in an Australian run institution in Australia, regardless of your nationality, your citizenship or your immigration status, you should have a right to apply to the Redress Scheme for fair compensation. That's a pretty fundamental principle that the Greens support and, for those reasons, we endorse the request.