Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Murray for his question. Before I respond in detail, I note the recent apology by the Canadian government to their First Nation peoples regarding the treatment of their Indigenous people in their boarding school system. I think it was a very welcome development. Having met some of the First Nation peoples of Canada, I know how important that was to them. Hopefully, the Australian example was useful in that decision.

We are all aware that the abuse and neglect endured by the forgotten Australians is a tragedy. One of the best things that this Senate does is to hold committee inquiries into difficult issues. The cross-party work by the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs in their two reports on the experiences of children abused in institutional care was groundbreaking and helped place this issue in the national consciousness but it was also a tremendous experience for so many who had suffered that they were now being taken seriously. Senator Murray played a leading role in that and has been an advocate for the forgotten Australians. Despite his pending retirement, I can assure the Senate that this government will not allow them to be forgotten again and I know there are many members of parliament who are prepared to continue the argument on their behalf.

Senator Murray, I also note you have discussed these issues with Ms Macklin, the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. She is very committed to the healing process. It requires public awareness and education, ongoing support to affected families and a real engagement from the community services and health sectors. This government does understand that more needs to be done. As with the issues faced by the stolen generation, which you referred to, the experience of the forgotten Australians deserves to be recognised. Each group confronts its own history in its own way and both are worthy of consideration in their own right and in their own way. As you are aware, the government recently provided the alliance for the forgotten Australians with an additional grant of $100,000 to help them continue their work advocating, coordinating and providing a national voice for forgotten Australians. This is in addition to recent funding for the wider funding publication and distribution of an information booklet to raise awareness of the plight of forgotten Australians. The booklet is designed to improve community awareness, assist service providers in understanding the history of the forgotten Australians and to help address their unique needs.

The government continues to work with the alliance for forgotten Australians and other groups such as CLAN, and with families, community services and health sectors to ensure appropriate services are provided for forgotten Australians. The government is in the process of examining its response and the responses of the states and territories to determine what further action may be appropriate. The simple answer to your question, Senator Murray is: no decision has yet been made by government but we are very much engaged with the groups, engaged with the issues, talking through what an appropriate response would be. I know you and others may be a little impatient for the answer, but the answer is: no decision has been taken. But the minister and the government are very aware of issues, very engaged with the issues, and would not for a moment seek to underplay how important this issue is for these people and how important it is for Australia to resolve these issues and show real recognition of the terrible experience that so many people have endured.