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

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Mr Albanese's failed referendum campaign hurt our country no matter how people voted. Members of the Prime Minister's hand-picked referendum working group suggested that voting no was based on a foundation of racism or stupidity. Prominent 'yes' advocates declared that 'no' voters were dinosaurs, wreckers or worse. Sixty-one per cent of Australians voted no, but Australians on both sides of it were hurt thanks to its mishandling. Is the Prime Minister going to make an apology to the Australian people, regardless of their vote, for his role in dividing our great nation?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Liddle for her question. It is true. There were things said and done during the campaign which were hurtful. There were things that were done and said that particularly our First Nations people found hurtful. There were things that were done and said which many Australians found hurtful, particularly people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, regardless of their views. We have seen a lot of pain, which is why the Prime Minister spoke about the importance of coming together on the night of the referendum, when he accepted responsibility, when he said very clearly to Australians that we're neither 'yes' voters nor 'no' voters, we are Australians.

I did say in this chamber that, when asked questions prior to the referendum, people bring to this campaign and bring to these questions their history and their experience, and there is a place for respecting that and for speaking with respect and acceptance and some graciousness towards each other. I think now is the time for graciousness. Now is the time to recognise those that are hurting, even if we don't agree with what they might say. Now is the time to recognise that all of us have a role in bringing Australians together. What I'd say to you is: we come to this with that spirit. I would invite you and others on that side to respond in kind.

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

Almost always, and with everything, the most vulnerable are affected the most. The Albanese government spent $450 million on a referendum doomed to fail. This could have doubled annual funding for child and family services in the Northern Territory, where notifications of harm to children continue to go up, not down. Why do you continue to oppose an audit into Indigenous program funding and a royal commission into child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities when, in the Northern Territory, the torment and trauma of those children at risk—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Liddle, the time for answering has expired.

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

is often silenced.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm happy for you to finish.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Liddle, do you want to finish your question? The minister has invited you to do so.

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

Yes, thank you. I appreciate that. In the Northern Territory, the trauma and torment of those children at risk or of those who have already been harmed is often silenced but is definitely not invisible.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think we would all agree that all of us want children to be healthy and safe and no-one seeks that abuse is ever invisible. I think you opened your question with 'doomed to failure'. You would know, Senator Liddle, that your party, for quite some time—until the decision earlier this year—supported this process. Mr Wyatt supported this process. Mr Morrison and Mr Turnbull were engaged in this process. Until recently, this did have bipartisan support.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not true.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

People have a democratic right to change their view. In relation to the second question, the safety and wellbeing of First Nations children is a priority for us. There is a lot of work being undertaken. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Liddle, second supplementary?

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

Has the Prime Minister or Minister Burney read the Productivity Commission report on expenditure on children in the Northern Territory and the report of the NT Office of the Children's Commissioner, which clearly outlines the rising incidence of harm and notification for children? What is your answer to changing the lives of families and their children in the Northern Territory, and what evidence are you relying on to say no to an audit and a royal commission?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, as I answered yesterday, it is the case—and I think Senator Gallagher answered the day before on a similar question—that the National Audit Office did find previous compliance systems were clearly deficient in the area of Indigenous affairs, and we agree that strong governance and accountability are vital to delivering high-quality services and better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which is what we all want.

As Senator Gallagher told the chamber on Monday, I believe, and as I repeated again yesterday, the NIAA has agreed to all recommendations from the Auditor-General and is in the process of implementing them. I also can advise that the minister has asked the agency to establish an integrity branch to protect and detect fraud and compliance systems. We may disagree on the how, but all of us want the gap closed. All of us want better outcomes. What I would say—and I would invite Senator Liddle—is that we would prefer this were done in a non-partisan— (Time expired)