Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Greens strongly support this inquiry, which will complement the work plan to strengthen criminal justice responses to sexual assault which was recently endorsed by the Meeting of Attorneys-General. This is critical work. I too would like to acknowledge and thank Chanel Contos, who's in the back of the chamber right now, and also the work and presence of Saxon Mullins, Bri Lee, Nina Funnell, Grace Tame and so many others who have pushed for strong, clear and harmonised laws on consent and consent education for so long. These courageous women have consistently pushed for laws and consent education to be informed by the lived experience of sexual assault victims-survivors. This inquiry provides an important opportunity to achieve that.

With so many states and territories legislating different types of consent, it is important that we harmonise upwards. I was pleased to see that the Queensland Labor government belatedly committed to an affirmative consent model after two years of missing that opportunity. I hope that all other states will follow suit.

I thank Senator Green for proposing this inquiry.

Question agreed to.