Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

Labor supports the Royal Commissions Amendment (Protection of Information) Bill 2021, and we support the government's amendments. For some months Senator Steele-John, Labor and the government have been engaged in negotiations in relation to this bill. Those negotiations have been constructive and conducted in good faith. I would particularly like to acknowledge the efforts of Senator Steele-John and his office. This bill would amend the Royal Commissions Act 1902 and make consequential amendments to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to ensure ongoing confidentiality protections for people giving evidence to the disability royal commission.

Prior to this bill coming on for debate, earlier this year a number of disability organisations and advocates raised concerns that the bill did not adequately protect the privacy of witnesses making allegations about systemic failings in the disability sector, including whistleblowers. The government has agreed to move amendments to further improve the protections offered by the bill. Labor supports them. Moreover, we understand that the Attorney-General has asked her department to commence a review of the Royal Commissions Act to examine any issues or impediments to people coming forward and sharing information with a royal commission. Labor also supports that review and thanks the Attorney-General for initiating it.

It is absolutely critical to the success of the disability royal commission that people feel confident about coming forward to give evidence. The royal commission must, of course, hear directly from people with disability about their experience of violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation. But it must also hear from others who may have witnessed or know about the neglect, abuse and exploitation of people with disability, including, or perhaps especially, when that neglect, abuse and exploitation is or has been systemic. The protections in this bill and in the amendments are designed to ensure that the people the royal commission needs to hear from have the confidence to come forward. I commend the bill to the Senate.