Andrew Murray (WA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Minchin. This question refers to the matter of the sexual assault of children and is addressed to Senator Minchin because it is a question of national importance requiring prime ministerial and government leadership. Senator Minchin, have the government and particularly the cabinet now absorbed the lesson spelt out by a number of Senate reports that a harmed child invariably results in a harmed adult, with consequent long-term and costly social and economic consequences? Did the government take note of last night’s ABC Lateline program on the issue of the sexual assault of children and the failure of the various authorities to act in response to reports? This failure, I might say, replicates the failure to address the sexual assault of institutionalised and in-care children last century. What are the Prime Minister and his government doing to address the problem of the past and present sexual assault of children in Australian society?