Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I certainly reject from the outset that take on our concern for children and rules around children in the question that you've put, Senator Thorpe. You may not have seen it, but just a few weeks ago we did announce the interim children's commissioner for First Nations children across the country. Certainly we want to see the successful applicant for that position announced very soon. So we are making endeavours. But we recognise that the care and protection of children across each state and territory jurisdiction is a state and territory matter. So the role of the First Nations children's commissioner is to do precisely that in terms of the areas that Senator Thorpe was raising.