Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight not to reflect on my highs and lows as an outgoing senator but to talk about a topic that is and has been very close to my heart in the time that I have served in the Senate. That is the issue of child abuse. Together with former Senator Arbib and Senator Bilyk, we have sought to raise awareness of all the complexities and legal difficulties that surround this issue. Child abuse and neglect are regrettably far too prevalent around the world. The incidence of child abuse and neglect is certainly too prevalent here in Australia.

Since February 2009, Parliamentarians Against Child Abuse and Neglect—or PACAN, as we affectionately refer to it—has shone a light on issues that may make us uncomfortable or distressed. We have seen that as our mandate: to raise the issues and confronting facts that people choose not to deal with because of the nature of it. One of the issues that we have dealt with in PACAN is underage marriage and its occurrence within our very own borders.

I am a big supporter of multiculturalism, and I am fortunate to live in the cosmopolitan city of Melbourne. I would suggest that it is the best city in Australia. Certainly it has been recognised as being the world's most livable city. It is also one of the richest and most diverse communities in Australia. I have not only seen but also enjoyed the vast benefits of residing in a cultural melting pot. But we should look at some of the issues that are in that melting pot and we should not ignore illegal, unlawful and completely abhorrent customs and conventions just because they are the norm for some of a certain cultural or ethnic group.

Underage marriage or forced marriage—which I recognise is illegal here in Australia—is something that is very much subterranean. It exists, but we do not actually know too much about it. What we do know is that it does take place here in Australia. I would like to commend the New South Wales shadow Minister for Community Services, Pru Goward, and her work on this issue. She has been quite vocal on her concerns and how this is affecting many who reside in New South Wales. Shadow minister Goward only in February warned that forced underage marriage may in fact be commonplace for certain communities in Sydney.

I cannot say that I am surprised. I say that with enormous regret. Only this year, we heard that a 62-year-old man had allowed his 12-year-old daughter to partake in a so-called marriage ceremony to a man more than double her age. That was right here in Australia, in the inner suburbs of Sydney. Since then, I have been musing over whether I would raise this in this chamber or not. I really cannot leave this place without saying that there is no place for that in Australia. Yes, it is illegal. But these people thought that it was okay because it was part of their culture.

It sickens me that this 62-year-old man took it upon himself to instruct his daughter on how to sexually please her husband and to demand she never encourage her so-called husband to use a condom or any other form of contraceptive device. This man even went to the extent of buying a queen-sized bed for the so-called newlyweds. The cleric who conducted this illegal ceremony has been fined $500. That is what the law provides for, but is that adequate? His religious visa, I have to note, has been cancelled and he is currently awaiting deportation. The so-called husband of this child has been charged with 25 counts of sexual intercourse with a child. He was here on a student visa. His student visa has been cancelled and he has been granted bail.

With four minutes and 30 seconds to go, can I say: let's call a spade a spade here. Let's call this out for what it is. It is an act of paedophilia, plain and simple. That is what it is. It is yet another example of child abuse. It is a demonstration of child abuse, mistreatment, neglect, exploitation and molestation of the highest order. Whatever you want to call it, it is an absolute disgrace. However, what we do seem to do is apply different standards to people who come from different cultural backgrounds. It is not to suggest that we should be intolerant to people of different cultural backgrounds, but we must advance what it is—for people who come to Australia—that is acceptable here in Australia.

The same day that the media broke the story on this shocking crime, which had happened in the suburbs of Sydney, there were also reports in the paper from London, where Rolf Harris is facing trial over allegations of child molestation and sexual assault. I do not want to canvass the details of that case, but I do want to canvass the difference in the way in which the media dealt with that story day after day, whereas what we seem to have had here was a one-day story of a 62-year-old father who set up his 12-year-old daughter to be abused. The different standards in dealing with these two cases I think reflects very poorly on us. I ask those in the media to consider whether in fact they think they may have handled the reporting of these two situations differently. I do not know how else to say this, but unless we call out without fear or favour the different standards that we are applying to different people within our community it will reflect very poorly on us and very poorly on who we represent when we come to this place.

I would like to put on the record my best wishes to Senator Bilyk, who will continue as the co-convener of PAGAN. She has been a fabulous co-convener. We work really well together. As I have said before, a sense of humour goes a long way in this place. We do take ourselves very seriously at times. We are here to do a serious job—but as long as we do not take ourselves too seriously, that is the important thing. Senator Bilyk has been terrific.

I would like to advise the chamber that Mr Ken Wyatt in the other place has agreed to take over the convening of PAGAN, with Senator Bilyk. He has enormous background and work experience in this area. He has been involved in so many programs and has a great deal of interest in this area; but, in particular, he has the expertise and will be a great advocate for PAGAN. I am giving it a plug. Whilst I am not here, make sure you get to the next session, because it really is a very good group and it seeks to advance a very worthwhile cause.