Redress scheme hits MP at home

LIBERAL MP Steve Irons only recently discovered the unmarked grave of his sister Jennifer, who died while under the care of an institution and after being physically and sexually abused in care.

They were both institutionalised as children, and while Mr Irons’ move into foster care had a happy ending with a loving family, Jennifer’s did not.

“She was systematically put through foster care homes and sexually and physically abused during her time in foster care homes,” he told Parliament yesterday.

Jennifer died in a hit-run when she was 12 and was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave, which he said was now marked with the headstone his biological mother refused to pay for.

“There are so many stories like that around Australia, it affects all of us,” he said.

Mr Irons shared the story in an emotional debate on legislation to establish a national redress scheme for victims of institutional child sexual abuse.

Labor MP Jenny Macklin crossed to the government benches to hug Mr Irons after his speech.

She had earlier broken down in tears while praising the courage of child sexual abuse survivors who shared their stories with the royal commission.

Without their stories the realities and extent of child sexual abuse would not have been truly recognised, she said.

“I want to say loud and clear that I believe you ... and I say this so sharply but also so sadly because for years these survivors were not believed,” she said.

Personal stories shared over five years of public and private hearings greatly contributed to recommendations of the royal commission into institutional child sexual abuse.

“None of us, I think, can

SHE (SISTER JENNIFER) WAS SYSTEMATICALLY PUT THROUGH FOSTER CARE HOMES AND SEXUALLY AND PHYSICALLY ABUSED DURING HER TIME IN FOSTER CARE HOMES LIBERAL MP STEVE IRONS

allow any of these recommendations to sit on a shelf and be ignored,” she said.

Labor Leader Bill Shorten said survivors had found an unimaginable strength to speak up and the redress scheme would not be the end of the matter.

Counselling services and payments of up to $150,000 will be available for survivors under the scheme.

South Australia and Western Australia are the only states yet to sign up to the scheme, which is due to begin July 1.