House debates

Monday, 31 August 2020

Statements by Members

COVID-19: Health

4:29 pm

Photo of Craig KellyCraig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

For every piece of government legislation that has ever been introduced, there are always the risks of detrimental unintended consequences causing more harm than the problem we're trying to fix. That is the art of good policy-making, to look at what those unintended consequences are and to weigh up the costs and benefits. That's why I was greatly concerned, last Friday, during the hearing of the Law Enforcement Committee, that we heard from the Australian Federal Police, 'The COVID lockdowns provide a rich environment for paedophiles.' The Australian Federal Police found that during the lockdown periods the activities of paedophiles have increased over 160 per cent.

All I am asking of our state government health officials is that when recommendations are being made about whether lockdowns should occur or not all these factors are weighed up. When it is said, 'We are locking down to keep people safe,' that is causing a lot of harm and distress to a lot of our youngest vulnerable children. We are seeing harm increased, we are seeing increases in self-harm and we are seeing undiagnosed illnesses go by. All this must be weighed up to make sure the policy is done in the best interests of the Australian people.