Alison Penfold (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

PENFOLD () (): Today I call on this place to ensure that convicted paedophiles pay the price for their abuse. Today I call on this place to back amendments to the Bankruptcy Act to prevent convicted paedophiles and other serious criminals from escaping justice by avoiding civil judgement debts through declaring bankruptcy.

This issue has been brought to my attention by a constituent, Mrs Carolyn Kelly, the grandmother of Edan van Haren. Edan was a victim of Maurice Van Ryn, who was sentenced to imprisonment in 2019 in relation to child sexual abuse offences against Mr van Haren and other children. Mr van Haren, in a civil judgement, was awarded a debt of $1.4 million by the New South Wales Supreme Court in July 2023. But Van Ryn, a corporate accountant, hid his money and later declared bankruptcy. Unless the act is amended, Mr Van Ryn will escape his debt.

I am advised that child support debts awarded by family courts are not extinguished by bankruptcy. This principle needs to be extended to judgement debts for serious criminal offences, including child sexual abuse. It's a simple amendment to section 153 of the Bankruptcy Act 1966. I've written to the government, the minister, the Treasurer and the Attorney-General, requesting their support and action, and asked that the amendment be known as Edan's law to recognise Edan's— (Time expired)