Stephen Jones (Throsby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

To some it might appear a little bit shabby that we are engaged or enjoined in a debate over whether or how we provide assistance to those families of people who have been touched by the tragedy of being a victim of a terrorist incident. But the truth is that the debate we are engaged in is not about whether we provide assistance but how. Tragically, since 11 September, 2001, over 200 Australians have been injured and more than 100 killed in overseas terrorist incidents.

Significant targeted assistance has been provided to victims of those events, including through the Disaster Health Care Assistance Scheme, by way of ex gratia assistance, consular and repatriation assistance, and immediate short-term financial assistance through the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment.

It is true that, until the government moved legislation through this House a few weeks ago, our response as a nation in providing assistance to these victims has been somewhat ad hoc—and I make no criticism of either those members opposite or those members on this side of the House. I believe that, when we see the images of terrorism and victims of terrorism brought home to us, into our lounge rooms via television screens, it is only then that we start to focus on the issues that are subject to the legislation, which was moved by the government a few weeks ago.

It is true that, under the previous government and for several years under this government, there have been ad hoc approaches. That does not mean that that side of the House or this side of the House is any less caring or any less genuine about its sympathy for the victims. What it does mean is that we now have a process through the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and through other areas of assistance, to provide generous financial assistance to those injured and the next of kin of those who were killed in the 9/11 attacks, including Australians.

Under that compensation fund, payments of between $250,000 and $7.1 million were made to the next of kin of six Australians killed in those terrible attacks. Retrospective application of the scheme would effectively duplicate assistance that has already been given through that compensation fund and through the other areas of assistance that I have already alluded to. Calls by the Leader of the Opposition, however genuine—and I believe they are genuine—to apply the government's financial assistance for victims of terrorism scheme to victims of past incidents are inconsistent with the position the coalition took when they were in government. In relation to September 11 and the Bali bombings, those opposite made decisions about support and assistance for those victims. I can only assume they made those decisions based on the best information that was available to them at the time.

The support provided to past victims drew on a number of existing measures, including the Disaster Health Care Assistance Scheme, ex gratia payments, consular and repatriation assistance, and immediate short-term financial assistance through the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment.

This government has taken action by implementing a scheme which will ensure that assistance and support provided to Australians affected by terrorism overseas or who are victims of any future attacks is appropriate and sufficient. The Social Security Amendment (Supporting Australian Victims of Terrorism Overseas) Act 2012 was enacted for that purpose. It provides for financial assistance of up to $75,000 to Australians who are harmed by an overseas terrorist act and to Australians whose close family member or members have died in an overseas terrorist act.

As has been mentioned by previous speakers in this debate, there is nothing that we can do by way of financial payments which will serve to ease the pain and suffering of those families and those close to the victims of these terrible attacks. The $75,000 or the payments through this scheme of up to $75,000 are designed to provide some financial assistance in their hours of need. (Time expired)

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