3 years ago
GOVERNMENT VOTES DOWN LABOR’S REDRESS AMENDMENTS
LINDA BURNEY MP
The Government has voted down Labor’s amendments to improve the National Redress Scheme to ensure survivors do not miss out on redress.
Labor moved a series of amendments to the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Amendment (Technical Amendments) Bill 2020 to fix major structural shortcomings of the scheme.
Labor proposed amendments to address the issue of survivors waiting too or missing out on redress; the introduction of an early payments scheme; increasing the cap on payments; ending unfair deductions; re-shaping the arbitrary assessment framework; and providing ongoing psychological support.
One by one, the Government voted Labor’s amendments down in the House of Representatives, including an amendment that is Government policy to name and shame institutions.
But to add insult to injury, the Government gagged its own Minister from explaining to the parliament the Government’s opposition to Labor’s redress amendments.
In an extraordinary turn of events, the Minister representing the Minister for Families and Social Services Stuart Robert voted to gag himself from having to provide that explanation.
This Government is unbelievable.
Labor moved a series of amendments to the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Amendment (Technical Amendments) Bill 2020 to fix major structural shortcomings of the scheme.
Labor proposed amendments to address the issue of survivors waiting too or missing out on redress; the introduction of an early payments scheme; increasing the cap on payments; ending unfair deductions; re-shaping the arbitrary assessment framework; and providing ongoing psychological support.
One by one, the Government voted Labor’s amendments down in the House of Representatives, including an amendment that is Government policy to name and shame institutions.
But to add insult to injury, the Government gagged its own Minister from explaining to the parliament the Government’s opposition to Labor’s redress amendments.
In an extraordinary turn of events, the Minister representing the Minister for Families and Social Services Stuart Robert voted to gag himself from having to provide that explanation.
This Government is unbelievable.