Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure to follow the member for Newcastle, who has dedicated herself to this particular issue. The reason we have an anniversary of the apology is that we can never forget the task that we have before us, to ensure that stories of survivors are not forgotten, that we deliver the justice of the National Redress Scheme and begin the healing, and that we take action to prevent child sexual abuse now and into the future, as the member for Newcastle said.

It was in October 2018 that the parliament as one said sorry; we apologise for all the wrongs exposed by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Nine thousand people told the royal commission their story. On that day in October 2018, the nation said sorry for these and all the untold stories. These stories brought light into an otherwise dark corner of our history. It was an important moment for the country and for all survivors across Australia, as the nation listened and responded to the truth about our abject failure to protect our children.

In Aboriginal culture truth-telling has an important healing quality. We know that the telling of this truth has been an awakening for the country. This is why it is so important that we as a nation respond appropriately by delivering the needed redress and allowing the healing process to continue. This is why Labor very much wants a National Redress Scheme that works for survivors and works well. Unfortunately, in the past action at the government level has been slow and often lacking.

We acknowledge the government's response to the recommendations of the two-year review into the scheme and its adoption of 25 of the review's 38 recommendations, but the government needs to do more and act more swiftly to implement the rest. Early next year for the final response isn't good enough. It is so concerning to see how far we still need to go before applications are processed and redress is received.

Speaking on the anniversary of the apology, the Prime Minister, with a great sense of achievement, reported that, as of August 2021, the Redress Scheme had finalised 6,200 payments. The original royal commission estimated that 65,000 survivors were eligible applicants for this scheme. This outcome falls far short of what is needed. Of greater concern is that this result is only 934 more than were completed when this was last reported in March 2021.

The discrepancy between applicant numbers and the number of survivors continues to raise questions for us about the scheme's ease of accessibility. Why is the government finding this so hard?

Labor has repeatedly called for it to fix the identified payment issue by, firstly, increasing the maximum payment to $200,000, as recommended by the royal commission; secondly, ensuring prior payments are not indexed for the purpose of calculating a redress payment; thirdly, ensuring governments act as funders of last resort; and, finally, guaranteeing that any review of an offer of redress will not result in the original offer being reduced. But we acknowledge that the government has responded to Labor's call, as the member for Newcastle said, to push recalcitrant institutions to join the National Redress Scheme.

At this point I would like to acknowledge the bravery of survivors. The told and untold experiences they have endured underpinned their call for justice and urgent action on redress. I want to again acknowledge the many years of hard work that has been done by advocacy groups on this front, in bringing it to the attention of the public to help educate and to change mindsets. The grassroots work of these advocacy groups has been the catalyst for the change that we are seeing in our nation today, the awakening to the scourge of child sexual abuse. That is why it is important that the government act swiftly and finally ensure that the National Redress Scheme process is trauma informed, more responsive and, most certainly, survivor focused. It is the very least the government should do. Labor does acknowledge, as the member for Newcastle also said, the Prime Minister 's announcement of a national memorial to honour victims and survivors. It will be a poignant reminder, as late as it is, to all Australians of what must not happen again—a fitting tribute.

But our work on this front is not finished. While remembering the past, we must also look to the present and, of course, the future. The story of institutional child sexual abuse has thrown a light onto the horrifying fact that child sexual abuse continues in this country, often in the child's home. Labor believes that prevention is key, and efforts on prevention must be stepped up to stop the horror of this happening. We also welcome the Prime Minister's recent announcement of the adoption of the royal commission's recommendation for a national centre for the prevention of child sexual abuse, although, as the member for Newcastle said, it's three years late. We await the launch of the government's National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse, scheduled for next week. This is a 10-year, whole-of-nation framework and we look forward to it being another step forward in the nation's child sexual abuse prevention planning, but we note with concern reports that the government has not been as inclusive as it should have been in consulting with survivor groups and advocates on the national strategy. It is very disappointing to hear that high-profile and nationally regarded advocates have been excluded from contributing to this important work. These voices must be heard. How else will we as a nation succeed?

Finally, can I say that at the heart of Labor's position regarding the National Redress Scheme is the recognition that some survivors of child sexual abuse, out of fear and shame, will avoid seeking justice and healing. This is due in part to the experiences of those who have come forward and spoken publicly. Such treatment occurs on every level—interpersonal and institutional, including at the very institution that failed to protect them from their abusers. I want those individuals to know: we understand your pain, we hear you and, of course, we believe you. Labor has long called on the government to provide lifelong access to counselling support for survivors. Readily available support should be available to any survivor of child sexual abuse. We acknowledge that healing from trauma is not a linear process. Manifestations of trauma are different for every victim and can emerge through various stages of a victim's life. Access to lifelong counselling can help assist survivors to deal with that trauma and achieve healing.

Labor continues to stand ready to work with the government and survivors to deliver a scheme that can provide some form of healing. At the third anniversary of the apology, we are again reminded of the suffering of the survivors of institutional child sexual abuse. We again renew our commitment to the Redress Scheme. Let this parliament's anniversary recommitment be the catalyst for renewed energy and effort in assisting those survivors who are still waiting for the redress they deserve. Their time is right now.

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