Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

() (): The incorporated speech read as follows—

Today I rise in strong support of the Treasury Laws Amendment (The Survivors Law) Bill 2026. This is an important and overdue reform—one that addresses a longstanding injustice faced by survivors of child sexual abuse and other serious abuse who have fought through the courts for recognition and compensation, only to find that the compensation awarded to them is beyond reach because of loopholes in our legal and financial systems.

For too long, survivors have endured not only the trauma of abuse itself but also the trauma of navigating legal systems that too often failed to deliver meaningful outcomes. Many have shown extraordinary courage in coming forward, recounting painful experiences in courtrooms and inquiries, only to discover that perpetrators could shield assets, hide behind superannuation arrangements or use bankruptcy to evade responsibility. This bill seeks to close those loopholes and ensure that justice is practical, enforceable, and real.

In my electorate of Pearce, these issues are not abstract. They affect families and communities across suburbs including Wanneroo, Clarkson, Banksia Grove, Tapping, Alkimos, Butler, Yanchep and Two Rocks. They affect people involved in local schools, sporting clubs, faith organisations and community groups—places that should always be safe and trusted environments.

Over recent years, many Australians have listened with deep sadness and anger to the testimonies that emerged through the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Those testimonies resonated strongly within communities across Pearce. Constituents contacted my office not only to express support for survivors, but also to speak about their frustration with systems that appeared to protect perpetrators more effectively than they protected victims. Some survivors and advocates in Pearce have spoken about the emotional toll of obtaining a court judgement, only to encounter further delays, obstruction, or legal manoeuvring that prevented compensation from ever being paid. For survivors, that experience can feel like a second injustice. It can reinforce feelings that the system does not truly see them, hear them or value their suffering. This legislation directly addresses that problem.

The bill amends the Taxation Administration Act 1953 and the Bankruptcy Act 1966 to ensure that survivors can better identify and access certain superannuation interests held by perpetrators for the purpose of satisfying court ordered compensation. It also prevents compensation debts arising from child abuse from being extinguished through bankruptcy proceedings.

These are significant reforms because they recognise an important truth: debts arising from abuse are fundamentally different from ordinary commercial debts. They arise from profound harm—harm that can affect every aspect of a survivor's life, including their mental health, physical wellbeing, education, employment, relationships and long-term financial security.

In communities like Pearce, where many families are working hard to build stable and secure lives, access to justice matters deeply. People expect that, when a court makes a decision, that decision will have practical force and effect. They expect accountability to mean something tangible. Yet, too often, survivors have found that, even after years of legal proceedings, perpetrators were able to structure their affairs in ways that frustrated compensation orders. In some cases, assets were transferred or concealed. In others, bankruptcy was used as a shield. Superannuation, which is ordinarily protected for legitimate reasons, could become part of a broader strategy to avoid responsibility. That has undermined confidence in the justice system and caused enormous distress for survivors. This bill sends a clear message that accountability cannot simply be avoided through technicalities.

Importantly, this legislation is not about punishing people beyond the law; it is about ensuring that lawful court orders can actually be enforced. It restores integrity to the legal process and reinforces public confidence that the system stands with survivors rather than with those seeking to evade responsibility.

For many survivors in Pearce, compensation is not merely symbolic. It can provide practical support for counselling, trauma recovery, medical treatment, housing stability, education and rebuilding lives interrupted by abuse. Local support services and community organisations throughout the northern corridor of Perth have consistently highlighted the long-term impacts trauma can have on individuals and families.

Organisations working from Yanchep to Wanneroo have spoken about the growing need for trauma informed support services, particularly for survivors dealing with complex legal and financial pressures. Community legal centres, counselling services, family support organisations and victim advocacy groups understand that justice does not end with a court ruling. Enforcement matters. Outcomes matter.

This reform also reflects the tireless advocacy of survivors themselves. Many survivors have spent years campaigning for systems that are fairer, more compassionate and more effective. Some have done so publicly; others have worked quietly within their communities, sharing their experiences with parliamentarians, legal advocates and support organisations. Their courage has helped bring about this change.

I particularly want to acknowledge the role of community advocates who work across Pearce—often without recognition—supporting survivors through lengthy and emotionally exhausting legal processes. Whether through counselling services, grassroots advocacy networks, women's support services, youth organisations or legal assistance providers, these individuals have helped survivors navigate systems that can too often feel overwhelming and impersonal. Their work reminds us that trauma informed justice is not simply about legal reform; it is about designing systems that minimise further harm and respect the dignity of survivors at every stage.

That principle is reflected in this bill. By reducing the ability of perpetrators to delay or avoid payment, this legislation helps spare survivors from repeatedly reliving traumatic experiences through prolonged enforcement battles. It recognises that survivors should not have to spend years chasing compensation that courts have already determined is rightfully owed to them.

The significance of this reform is therefore both practical and symbolic. Practically, it improves access to compensation and strengthens enforcement mechanisms. Symbolically, it affirms that the parliament is willing to act when systems fail survivors. It says that justice should not depend on whether a perpetrator is able to exploit legal loopholes or financial structures. For large and fast-growing communities like Pearce, that message matters enormously. Pearce is home to many young families, community volunteers, sporting groups and local organisations that contribute to a strong sense of social cohesion. Trust in institutions—schools, clubs, churches, community organisations and the legal system itself—is essential to maintaining that cohesion. When accountability is weak, that trust is damaged. When the law responds decisively and fairly, confidence can begin to be restored. This bill helps strengthen that confidence. It demonstrates that parliament is prepared to confront gaps in the system and ensure that survivors are treated with fairness, dignity and respect. It also reinforces the broader principle that perpetrators of abuse should not benefit from protections or loopholes that were never intended to shield wrongdoing.

At the same time, this reform should be viewed as part of a broader commitment to supporting survivors and improving institutional accountability. Legislative change alone cannot undo the devastating harm caused by abuse, nor can financial compensation erase trauma. But meaningful compensation can provide support, stability, acknowledgement and a measure of justice.

As this legislation is implemented, it will be important to ensure that survivors can access the system effectively in practice, including in outer metropolitan and regional growth areas such as those represented within Pearce. Ongoing engagement with legal practitioners, survivor advocacy organisations, financial regulators and community support services will be essential to ensuring that the reforms operate as intended. We must also continue working to ensure that support services are accessible, trauma-informed and responsive to the needs of survivors from diverse backgrounds, including young people, women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and people living in rapidly growing outer suburban areas.

The experiences of survivors in Pearce reflect the experiences of survivors right across Australia: people seeking not special treatment but fairness; not sympathy alone but accountability; not promises but outcomes. This bill moves us closer to delivering those outcomes. It restores meaning to court-ordered compensation by ensuring that perpetrators cannot too easily evade responsibility through bankruptcy or asset protection arrangements. It strengthens confidence in the justice system by ensuring that judgements can be enforced. And it sends a powerful message that this government is prepared to stand with survivors and act to remove barriers to justice.

Importantly, it also reflects a broader cultural shift in Australia—a growing recognition that survivors must be heard, believed and supported, and that institutions must be accountable not only for preventing abuse but also for responding appropriately when abuse occurs. In Pearce, I know that many constituents expect this parliament to take practical action when injustices are identified. They expect us to strengthen systems where weaknesses exist and to ensure that laws reflect community expectations of fairness and accountability. This legislation does exactly that.

While no law can fully repair the damage caused by abuse, this reform ensures that survivors who have already endured the immense burden of legal proceedings are not denied the practical outcomes they have fought so hard to secure. This is a serious, measured and necessary reform. It is legislation grounded in fairness, accountability and dignity. Most importantly, it is legislation that will make a genuine difference to survivors in Pearce and across Australia.

I commend the bill to the House.

See this speech in context