This week in Parliament we reached another milestone in our growth as a nation with the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
During a time of particular political unrest, I am sure the survivors of this horrific chapter in our history, were heartened at the bipartisan approach to proceedings last Monday, which culminated in the suspension of question time.
On a personal level I was pleased to be able to meet Katie and her daughter who travelled to Canberra from my electorate to hear the apology first hand. Katie is a survivor. At the age of 6, she and her sister were abandoned into the hands of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. In the orphanage where she stayed for 6 years, she suffered unspeakable abuse. Yet at 97, Katie found the strength to tell her story and to call her abusers to account.
The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition stood in Parliament today and said “I am sorry, we believe you”.
I want to add my voice to tell those who have suffered at the hands of people who were supposed to protect them, to the survivors and to the families of those who did not survive. I am sorry, I believe you and I admire your resilience.
I would also like to thank the tireless work of Newcastle Herald journalist Joanne McCarthy who continued to listen to victims and write about their horrors at a time when it was incredibly difficult to do so. Joanne’s empathy and advocacy in no small part lead to the issue gaining momentum and I can still recall her shock and delight at receiving a letter from the then Prime Minister, Julia Gilliard, thanking her for her work in helping to make a royal commission a reality. Julia Gillard was also present on the floor of the House of Representatives for the apology and received generous applause.
To everyone who forced us not to look away, well done. I hope this acknowledgement will help heal long held trauma and emotional scars.
Stay in touch
As your representative, it’s important that you know how you can reach out to me if you encounter difficulties navigating a Federal issue. You can always email me at Meryl.Swanson.MP@aph.gov.au or call my office on 4983 2401.
I have an active community on Facebook that you’re welcome to join, at facebook.com/MerylSwanson/, and you can keep up to date with all my speeches and media releases at my website, which is at http://merylswanson.com.au/.
