Stephen Jones (Throsby, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In May 2003 Mr Ian Stanton, the son of a constituent of mine, went missing. More than 10 years later his whereabouts is still unknown. I was recently contacted by Mr Stanton's father, Norman, who is concerned with the lack of a national database for missing persons in Australia. Currently it is the role of police services in each state and territory to investigate reported cases in the jurisdiction. They each coordinate their own missing persons system with no link between. So once a missing person crosses state lines, they drop off the radar and the database on which they were first registered and it becomes increasingly difficult for authorities to investigate.

Of the estimated 350,000 people reported missing in Australia each year, I am happy to say that 95 per cent of them are found.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 43, I interrupt the member. The time for members' statements has concluded.