Senate debates

Tuesday, 13 November 2018

Motions

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

4:16 pm

Photo of Derryn HinchDerryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Before I have this motion taken as formal, I seek leave to amend the motion.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

It has not been circulated, Senator Hinch. If it's very easy to digest.

Photo of Derryn HinchDerryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | | Hansard source

It's just a change of date.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Notify the Senate of the change of date and I'll ask the Senate for leave. What date do you wish to change?

Photo of Derryn HinchDerryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | | Hansard source

In paragraph (b)(ii), change the date from 31 December 2018 to 28 February 2019.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the National Redress Scheme, which was established in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, has been operating since July 2018,

  (ii) 58.6% of survivors who engaged with the Royal Commission reported sexual abuse in religious institutions,

  (iii) 62% of those survivors reported sexual abuse in Catholic institutions,

  (iv) 14.7% of those survivors reported sexual abuse in Anglican institutions,

  (v) despite reports earlier this year that the Catholic, Uniting and Anglican Churches would participate in the scheme, they have yet to formally opt in to the scheme,

  (vi) this has had the effect of putting the applications of survivors who were abused within Catholic, Uniting Church and Anglican institutions – many of whom are extremely vulnerable, ill or elderly – on hold with the Department of Social Services, and

  (vii) of the almost 1900 applications which have been made to the National Redress Scheme since July, fewer than 10 have been processed; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) encourage all religious institutions within states and territories which are currently signed on to the National Redress Scheme, to opt in, and

  (ii) withhold any government funding and deny charity tax concessions to religious institutions within those states and territories that fail to opt in by 28 February 2018.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Photo of Derryn HinchDerryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | | Hansard source

In moving this motion, I need to point out that it is in my capacity as a senator for the Justice Party and not in my position as Chair of the National Redress Scheme committee. I'm doing it, to steal from Gough Whitlam, because it's time—it's actually past time. Institutions named in this motion are dragging the chain—some, I suspect, deliberately. Several thousand applications have been lodged, but fewer than 10 have been settled. Cases are on hold and ageing survivors are dying without their redress. It wasn't too complicated for church branches to use the umbrella system for the royal commission. Surely that is a blueprint for how redress should be addressed now. We've used the carrot; it's time for the stick.

4:18 pm

Photo of Anne RustonAnne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Photo of Anne RustonAnne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | | Hansard source

The government is working with states, territories and institutions to encourage them to join the scheme as soon as possible. There are a number of formal steps that must be completed before an institution can join the scheme. Institutions have until 30 June 2020 to join.

Photo of Anthony ChisholmAnthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Photo of Anthony ChisholmAnthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Labor agrees with the sentiments contained in the majority of this motion, including the frustration with the slow rollout of the National Redress Scheme. Victims should not be dying before receiving the compensation and recognition they are owed. However, it is not Labor policy to withhold charitable status or government funding from any religious institutions, and therefore we are forced to oppose this motion.

Question negatived.