Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also thank the member for Gilmore for bringing this motion before the House and allowing me the opportunity to speak on behalf of my constituents who have suffered and been affected by abuse. I would also like to take the opportunity to acknowledge Steve Irons, the member for Swan, for his strong advocacy in this matter. His passion comes from a personal perspective that I know drives him in this place. I know that he stands up for the people of Western Australia who suffered whilst in care.

The worst of all crimes are those against children, because these are the crimes where power and the advantage of strength is used to take control over victims. Criminals take control in circumstances where their victims have the disadvantage of inexperience and believe that they can trust adults. This is why these crimes are the worst. It is the most terrible example of power being used against the defenceless. It is reprehensible in every degree and every crime and law enforcement agency should—and I am sure does—give these crimes the highest priority.

The substance of this motion refers to child abuse and neglect in the last century. It is in relation to children who were placed in the care of government institutions. It also acknowledges the neglect of governments in allowing abuse, pain and suffering to continue for many years. The motion calls upon the government to issue an unequivocal apology to all of the victims, and I note that we are now certain that that will occur in the days before the end of the year. I welcome that apology.

In 2004, it was revealed that more than 500,000 Australian children were placed in foster care in orphanages and other sorts of institutions. Of those 500,000 children, there is no doubt that a significant number were abused and faced neglect. Through most of last century the controls on who was working in these institutions and in such roles were virtually nonexistent. There were no working with children checks and there was no exchange of information between jurisdictions. It was a different time, and what looked good on paper as trusted agencies, caring organisations and individuals, many church based, were in some cases anything but reliable. That is not to say that every nun, priest or other caregiver was a paedophile or a violent abuser of children. This was not the case.

However, that having been said, one of the great problems regarding child abuse, not only in the last century but also in this century, is where those who have not been directly involved but have known or suspected have not reported that information. It is hard to tell how many of the carers effectively gave their tacit consent to abuse and neglect by not reporting those crimes. It is my view that they stand condemned for their silence and that their actions are not far short of their being perpetrators. In any case they betrayed the trust placed in them and their duty as adults to protect children. It is therefore surprising that it was only last year in Western Australia that the Children and Community Services Amendment (Reporting Sexual Abuse of Children) Bill was passed. The result of that legislation was that, from 1 January this year, doctors, nurses, midwives, teachers and police officers were now required to submit a written mandatory reporting form in cases where they suspected abuse had occurred. So I applaud the Barnett government of Western Australia for bringing this long-awaited legislation into law, an important element of the fight against sexual abuse and neglect of children. Although it imposes a legal obligation on several professions, I say that it remains a moral obligation of every adult to report evidence of or suspicion of child abuse or neglect.

It is a statistic that a great proportion of cases of abuse and neglect are inflicted by a person known to the victim as either a family member or a family friend. That having been acknowledged, we must also acknowledge that other family members and family friends would be best placed to observe concerns or form suspicions. I say that those who do not act are as guilty of betrayal as were those who worked in the old institutions last century: those who suspected but did not nothing.

It is hard to know whether the abuse and neglect of children is increasing or decreasing. In any case not a single case of abuse is tolerable and also a single suspicion that is not reported is not tolerable. Given the scale of abuse and neglect, it is appropriate that an apology be given and a strong expression of regret take place. However, I do look forward to the application of accountability to all perpetrators and to those who gave their tacit consent, as evidenced by the silence of betrayal of the weak and the defenceless. To those in Cowan who still carry the physical and emotional scars of their abuse and neglect, I say that I am sorry that the governments of this country did not ensure your safety and protect your childhood from abuse and neglect.

In this place it is our job to make sure that it can never happen again, and we should fight to do so as even one case is one case too many. Once again I thank the member for Gilmore for bringing this most important motion before the parliament. I look forward to the apology by this parliament to those who suffered being made as soon as possible. (Time expired)

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