Senate debates
Thursday, 16 August 2007
Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007; Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007; Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Northern Territory National Emergency Response and Other Measures) Bill 2007; Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008; Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008
In Committee
11:40 pm
Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source
There are a couple of points coming from that. Firstly, the minister mentioned that children are sometimes absent for a long period of time for cultural reasons. I ask the minister: if there are no cultural reasons that would warrant a five-day absence, would that be acceptable to the government? Secondly, there is the business of exemptions. Am I right to assume that these exemptions are particularly aimed at excluding non-Indigenous people from the reach of these penalties rather than Indigenous people?
No comments