Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. Can the minister advise whether, on her recent visit to Alice Springs, anyone raised concerns with her about an increase in child sexual and physical assault and violent crime?

Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Child sexual abuse is abhorrent. Every single person in this chamber is of that view. No matter where we live, our children have a right to grow up safe and healthy. Let me assure this chamber that, as a First Nations woman with decades of experience in education and child protection, I know the best way to protect children is to work with communities. I was the Minister for Community Services in the New South Wales parliament. I saw the worst of what could happen to children when they were abused. I dealt with it on a daily basis—years and years of experience. I am focused on concrete actions that make a difference. Establishing a royal commission does not mean concrete actions, on the ground, directly with local communities.

Yes, I did go to Alice Springs. In Alice Springs, as I said previously, I met with Territory families, I met with women's services, I met with children's services and I met with youth services, and none of them raised with me the issue of a royal commission into Aboriginal sexual assault. They raised with me—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition! Order! The minister will pause a moment. The Leader of the Opposition does not need to yell to get his point across. The minister is answering, directly, the question in detail. I'm requesting the House hear her in silence. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order. What is the point of order?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is relevance. I want to pay tribute to the minister for her service, but many of us have dealt with those victims. I have asked a reasonable question.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. If the Leader of the Opposition wishes to raise a point of order on relevance, he is entitled to do so. He did not do so.

Opposition members inte rjecting—

You will not question the chair, either. I give the call to the Minister for Indigenous Australians.

Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What was raised with me by the many people I spoke with who work in Alice Springs, who live in Alice Springs and who are dealing directly with this very serious issue is the need for coordination across three tiers of government, coordination with local government, with schools and with police—and not punishing people. That's what was raised with me.

In Alice Springs there is leadership and capacity. I have faith in the people of Alice Springs to know what their issues are and to be able to deal with them with the support and the constructive involvement of all tiers of government.