Barry Wakelin (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important matter. The federal government is committed to addressing the traumatic legacy of past practices of Indigenous child separation. There is no doubt that these practices represent a tragic part of Australia’s history. Viewed from a present day perspective, the government has recognised that these practices were misguided and caused great suffering, and it has established programs to assist those affected to move forward. I quote there from the parliamentary secretary, who was then responding to the Bringing them home report and to the Senate report.

As the member for Jagajaga has said, this is a tragic matter and the issues of trust, child separation and all the consequences are very difficult things for a nation to come to terms with, but come to terms with it we must. The government has expressed sincere regret and recognises that pain and hurt. The committee which responded to the Bringing them home report did not produce a consensus report. The majority report of the committee, which was signed by no government member, contained 10 recommendations, of which nine were relevant to the Commonwealth. The government supported either in full or in part five of the nine recommendations. We agree with the committee’s first majority recommendation that it is timely for all relevant parties to evaluate the original response to Bringing them home. This is a longstanding process. Over that time I believe we have come a significant distance—not all the distance but a significant distance.

It is my sad duty to acknowledge in this place that, as I understand it, the removal of Indigenous children continues today. Statistics available some three or four years ago suggested that Indigenous children are six times more likely to be removed for child welfare reasons and 21 times more likely to be removed for juvenile detention reasons than non-Indigenous children. I am sure there are statistics that update those, but they still highlight the huge challenge that we in this country have, remembering of course that the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families made 54 recommendations.

In the time available to me, I acknowledge the government support that has been given to this matter over the past decade. But, in saying that, I think we need to also address the jurisdictional issues which to this day predominantly remain with the states and territories of this Commonwealth. That is by no means attempting to divert the responsibility, but we need to understand that this is a cooperative effort if we are to make the genuine progress that we must.

I conclude by acknowledging the symbolism of the 1967 referendum of 27 May, 40 years ago, and of the Bringing them home report of 10 years ago on the same date. With these issues still very much in front of us, the Weekend Australian stated:

While Aboriginals were politically enfranchised, they have been economically disenfranchised.

I challenge these ‘voices on the Left of politics,’ quoting from the Weekend Australian:

… among them the Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, ALP president, Warren Mundine and former Labor minister Gary Johns, are promoting the cause of responsibility rather than welfare …

These are the challenges of practical reconciliation and these are the challenges of where we as a country need to go. I thank the House for the opportunity to make those remarks.

See this speech in context