Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier today, thousands marched here in Canberra, outside Parliament House, at the March 4 Justice rally. I was honoured and proud to attend the rally and to march with the protesters and my Labor colleagues. At the march, we saw Brittany Higgins speaking so bravely. She rightly said that the system is broken and that enough is enough. Across the country, thousands of women and men marched to make their voices heard. In my electorate, in northern New South Wales, locals were also marching for justice, in Mullumbimby and Lismore, and I commend them. They marched because enough is enough. These countrywide rallies were an expression of the frustration and anger about continued inequality. Women must be safe and free from violence and discrimination at all times. It is time to focus on achieving equality and justice for all in our society.

People are rightly angry at this government. We have the Morrison government constantly acting only in their own political interest, whether it's their inaction and gross negligence in not providing support and justice for Brittany Higgins, their failure to stand down the Attorney-General and instigate a judicial inquiry into historical rape allegations against him, or their failure to act over the defence minister's highly offensive comments and gross negligence in relation to Brittany Higgins. Today, thousands marched around the country, including in my region on the New South Wales North Coast. All will be heard. They will not be silent any longer. Today we were marching for all women, because the fact is we are always, all of us, stronger together.

I know it's frustrating to so many that change can often take so long. But we are now having a national conversation about women's rights, safety and access to justice. These are important conversations. We must keep speaking out so there are changes to improve women's lives. I know that sometimes they're hard and distressing conversations, but they're important. As Senator Penny Wong, our leader in the Senate, has said:

I've described this as a time of searing national reckoning, a reckoning demanded by the courage of so many, of Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins and many more. To find our way through this requires listening and it requires action. Leaders have to listen, even to messages some don't wish to hear. We have to support those who have the courage to come forward, and we have to change the culture, in our parliament and across the nation. You see, change needs more than talk.

And as the Leader of the Opposition said today: 'All of us need to make sure we listen more. We hear the concerns that people have raised and those concerns put forward today. We need to listen and respond.' We all marched today for every woman throughout the nation, because every single woman in this country has the right to be safe and to be treated with respect. Together, we must all fight for justice until there is justice for all.

Today we saw yet again a lack of empathy, concern and respect from our Prime Minister, who could not even be bothered to attend the rally. He didn't even have the courage to attend. I implore the Prime Minister and his government to listen to those who marched and to listen to those calling for action. But this is a government that's only concerned with its own agenda and its own political interests, never ever the nation's interest. I recently condemned the Prime Minister in parliament for his disgraceful behaviour regarding the treatment of Brittany Higgins. I will say it again, and I will repeat those words: as a former police officer, I'd like to remind the Prime Minister and his government that rape is not a political problem to be covered up. Rape is a crime. I simply cannot fathom that not one person in that ministerial wing fulfilled their legally binding duty of care to Ms Higgins. Instead of giving her compassion and support to get justice, they just cut her adrift. She's been totally denied justice. It must stop. Their cover-ups and their denials must stop.

The Prime Minister again chooses politics and acting in his own interests, denying all knowledge and saying, 'No-one told me.' Of course he knew. He walks in here every day and insults an entire nation by pretending he didn't. The cover-up just continues. The Prime Minister has failed to provide empathy, support and respect for Ms Higgins.

We have the Morrison government, as I said, constantly only acting in their political interests. There is no leadership and no support from this government. This is one of the many reasons that women and men and so many people have had enough. So I'd like to thank everyone who marched today and acknowledge them for their courage and for raising their voices loud and clear. Enough is enough. We won't be silent anymore.