THE HON JENNY MACKLIN MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR FAMILIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES
MEMBER FOR JAGAJAGA
THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
ROYAL COMMISSION INTO INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
Australians are shocked and angered by the evidence given today at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
This is the first time that an Australian arm of the Catholic Church has opened its books to reveal the extent of sexual abuse over decades.
It underlines how important the Royal Commission has been in exposing abuse and ensuring that survivors get justice.
Many survivors of child sexual abuse have been waiting their whole lives for redress for the crimes perpetrated against them as children.
Labor understands that nothing can make up for the pain and trauma experienced by survivors.
However the Royal Commission is an important step along the road to healing and justice for survivors of child sexual abuse.
For many years survivors were ignored or not believed.
We acknowledge the extraordinary men and women who have survived horrific abuse and shared their painful accounts at the Royal Commission.
Federal Labor has previously expressed concerns about the Commonwealth Governments proposed opt-in redress scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse.
Under the proposed redress scheme, states and institutions responsible for perpetrating child sexual abuse can opt-in to the scheme. Labor is deeply concerned that if the institutions that perpetrated the abuse do not want to pay, they wont have to.
Labor expects all governments and institutions to do everything in their power to make sure that these crimes are never allowed to happen again.
MONDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 2017
