Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator McLucas, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes the important work undertaken by the Community Affairs References Committee in its inquiry into children in institutional care which recommended the acknowledgement, on behalf of the nation of:

(i) the hurt and distress suffered by many children in institutional care,

(ii) a National Apology,

(iii) redress for their suffering, and

(iv) a Royal Commission into this national shame;

(b) recognises That the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released in September 2015 its final report into redress and civil litigation, and listed 99 recommendations, including recommendation 28 – 'The Australian Government should determine and announce by the end of 2015 that it is willing to establish a single national redress scheme';

(c) acknowledges survivors have been waiting their whole lives for recognition of the crimes perpetrated against them as children, and for the ongoing suffering those crimes cause them;

(d) notes That the Australian Labor Party announced in October 2015 that a Shorten Government would invest $33 million to implement a National Redress Scheme, which would include an initial $20 million contribution to establish the National Redress Agency, as well as a National Redress Advisory Council to work with all governments and institutions on the development and operation of the scheme; and

(e) calls on the Government to work towards establishing a National Redress Scheme.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Survivors have waited for many years for justice. The royal commission expressly acknowledged that its preferred option for delivering that justice, a single national scheme, might not be achievable within a time frame acceptable to all survivors and, indeed, to all Australians, who have been rightly outraged by the heinous abuse inflicted on children. Regrettably, discussions which the Commonwealth has led with the states and territories have shown that national consistency can only be achieved sufficiently swiftly through a nationally consistent approach. This aligns with the commission's alternative recommendation. The Commonwealth will, therefore, continue to work through first ministers' departments towards agreement on a nationally consistent approach to redress.

Question agreed to.