Vince Connelly (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to make an apology and to make a promise to a friend. Last week my good friend and former colleague Mark Maxham let me know, 'Vince, I'm starting a campaign to raise awareness of child sexual abuse because, when I was 14, I was abused sexually by two men.' I said, 'Mark, that's great. Let's raise awareness about the importance of tougher sentencing'—because 39 per cent of those convicted of a Commonwealth sex offence last year did not spend one single day in jail. This outcome offends community values and expectations of how crimes of this nature must be dealt with. It compounds the pain and the trauma of victims, and it endangers our Aussie kids. That's why this government had a bill before the Senate yesterday specifically designed to introduce minimum mandatory sentencing for child sex offenders. Well, yesterday in the Senate, Labor, the Greens and the crossbench teamed up to block mandatory sentencing. These people stood up for paedophiles over our Aussie kids and should be deeply ashamed.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No! The member will withdraw that remark immediately or he'll need to leave the chamber. He cannot reflect on members in that way.

Vince Connelly (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Mark, I promise to continue standing beside you, along with every other parent, aunt, uncle and grandparent in this country, to ensure that those who sexually abuse our children go to jail.