Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

All children and young people deserve to grow up with their rights, interests and wellbeing protected. I'm very pleased to say that the National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People is joining us today in the gallery to see the final stages of what we hope will be the passage of this very important legislation, the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026.

I want to thank all members who spoke in this debate, particularly those members who supported the bills. I say to those members who have indicated that they won't be supporting these bills that I understand what some of them have said about not wanting to replace real action with bureaucracy, and I want to reassure them that that is the very furthest thing from what we intend with these bills. The simple truth is that we have let down children and young people in this country, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, over many decades. We set out some targets in the Closing the Gap strategy, and in many areas we're going the wrong way on those targets, or the inequalities that have been identified are stubbornly persistent. We can't keep doing the same thing and expect to get a different outcome. We need to change what we're doing. In both Lil Gordon, the interim commissioner, and now Sue-Anne Hunter, the permanent National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Young People, we have extraordinary advocates who I am convinced will make a difference to some of these stubborn inequalities that we as a government are determined to shift. We know there is more that we need to do as a government and as a nation to shift this inequality. We expect more from the states and territories. We know that communities and families need to be supported to deliver more for the children they love and care for.

These bills will legislate the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People under new primary legislation. This will be the first permanent statutory agency independent from government with a dedicated focus on promoting the rights, interests, development, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. This bill empowers the national commissioner to speak directly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and drive greater accountability for the systems and policies that affect those young people. The government will invest $33½ million over the forward estimates and $8.4 million ongoing to ensure that the national commissioner can deliver on their statutory functions and responsibilities.

Legislating an independent national commissioner responds to decades of advocacy by many First Nations leaders. When we get it right for children and young people, our nation benefits. When we get it right for this generation, every subsequent generation benefits.

I commend the office of the commissioner and the bill to the House.

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