Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you for the question. I am aware that across a range of areas the issue of child protection has been one to which the government has paid great attention. Let me draw the Senate’s attention to the great work by Mr Mal Brough in the area of Indigenous matters, which I think all of us would agree brought very serious issues to the attention of the public and to parliamentarians. I congratulate Minister Brough on the important work that he is doing in that particular area. I am also aware of the work Senator Coonan has been doing on the internet. I am also aware that those proposals have not always been supported by the Labor side of the parliament. Those are particular issues which the government has taken a real lead in and without much help if my memory serves me correctly—and you can correct me if I am mistaken—from the Labor Party or the Australian Democrats.

In the areas of family law and child protection, there is no doubt that this government has a very fine record in looking after and protecting children. It would be quite wrong to indicate that this government has not given a very high priority to this extremely important area. I will draw your question to the attention to Minister Brough,