Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Indigenous Australians. Minister, do you agree that children's human rights are being regularly violated in this country?

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

Thank you, Senator Thorpe, for the question. We were able to announce last week a national commissioner for Indigenous children in Australia.

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

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Thorpe?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, it was a simple question—

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

Senator Thorpe, please resume your seat. The minister has just started her response. I will listen carefully and, if necessary, I will direct her to your question.

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

Last week we announced the national commissioner for Indigenous children because we see it as incredibly important. The rates of removal of First Nations children in this country are way too high. We certainly see that there is a real concern for First Nations children in Australia.

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

Senator Thorpe, first supplementary?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not good enough that you can't clearly acknowledge that children's human rights are being abused. We have 10-year-olds being strip searched, Minister, in your electorate, in your territory. As the minister, are you and your government not bound by the human rights obligations this government is signed up to? And please don't ramble—just answer.

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

Senator Thorpe, just ask your question.

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

I look forward to answering the question, and, given the time that I have, I think it's important to alert the Senate of the significance of trying to care for our children, all Australian children. It is of concern that children, in particular First Nations children, end up in custody, in detention, and that is why we have announced a First Nations Indigenous children's commissioner, because we want to see low rates and the rates reduced across the country, obviously not just for Indigenous children but for all children.

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

Senator Thorpe, second supplementary?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Children in prison are routinely subjected to violence, abuse and neglect. Two children who were denied basic mental health care have died by suicide in the last year in child prisons that your government and you support. Will the federal government stop facilitating the abuse of children in this country and take action, or will you just keep avoiding responsibility and blaming the states?

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

I certainly reject outright any assertion by the senator that we are individually responsible for what's going on. It is clearly not good.

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

Minister McCarthy, please resume your seat. Senator Thorpe?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Relevance to the question.

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

Senator Thorpe, the minister is being directly relevant to your question. Please resume your seat, and I'll call the minister to continue her answer.

Senator Thorpe, I have asked you to resume your seat. Thank you.

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

These are good leg exercises, President! It is clearly concerning, of course—

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

Senator Thorpe?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, this is not a joke. There are children dying in prisons under your watch.

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

Senator Thorpe, resume your seat.

Order! Senator Thorpe, come to order! Senator McCarthy.

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

It is clearly a serious concern—the high rates of First Nations youth and First Nations people in custody across the country. I've certainly spent time in Western Australia visiting the Banksia Hill Detention Centre to work on and look at what was going on with our First Nations children in that centre. I've been working, trying to see that we have our Aboriginal medical centres in detention centres across the country. It is a process that Minister Mark Butler and I are working on. (Time expired)