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

'Where we start matters.' This is an important message, and it's the theme of this year's National Child Protection Week. Not for one week or year but each and every single day we must all play a part in maximising what we do in protecting children in families, in communities, in workplaces and in this parliament. Child maltreatment is endemic. Six in 10 Australians have experienced at least one type of child maltreatment. Early and persistent harm is rife. It can have lifelong consequences. Forty-six thousand children are in out-of-home care, including—a woeful overrepresentation—20,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Given the theme 'Where we start matters', the Albanese government might begin with prioritising where it focuses its attention and resources. Focusing on this no-compromise, risky, divisive, unknown and permanent proposition that is the Voice at this time of a cost-of-living crisis creates greater risk for those doing it toughest, because poverty and economic and social exclusion are well-trodden pathways to child abuse and neglect. We know that. Imagine what corporate and philanthropic donations could have done if deployed to preventing issues that become ones of child protection. Just imagine.

Prevention is key. We need to support parents, children and carers to identify escalating risk and stop the trajectory to protect our and their futures. Parents must be part of this. I applaud the very recent finalisation of the national action plan to end family violence, intended to end violence within a generation. Prevention is key to this target. If a child has reached the attention of the child protection system, we have already failed them. The red flags are clear, and we need to remain focused on stopping it before it starts, because where we start actually matters.