Senate debates

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Motions

National Apology to the Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants

3:37 pm

Photo of Rachel SiewertRachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 507 standing in my name and in the name of Senator Moore relating to the anniversary of the apology to forgotten Australians and former child migrants.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges:

(i) the 5th anniversary of the National Apology to the Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants on 16 December 2014,

(ii) that over 500 000 Australians experienced care in an orphanage, or other form of out of home care during the past century and many of these experienced distress, neglect, abuse and assault, and

(iii) That the child migration scheme during the 20th Century is now universally recognised as having been fundamentally flawed with tragic consequences;

(b) notes:

(i) the 16 recommendations of the Community Affairs References Committee's report, Lost innocents and forgotten Australians revisited: Report on the progress with the implementation of the recommendations of the lost innocents and forgotten Australians reports (the report), and

(ii) the current Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse but that there are a range of issues identified by the Senate inquiries that are beyond the issues covered by Commission; and

(c) calls on leadership from governments and former providers to work towards the implementation of the remaining recommendations of the report, including the sensitive issues of redress, identity documentation and the need for responsive support for health and housing.

Question agreed to.