Laura Harmon (Labour)

I wish to briefly speak to support and second the amendment. I welcome the women in the Gallery. I thank them so much for being here. It is wonderful to have them here for this debate. I thank them for their continued campaigning and advocacy. I commend my colleague, Senator Boyhan, on his powerful contributions and advocacy on this.

This amendment is extremely important because it is about follow-through and ensuring that we monitor and evaluate the scheme and the uptake of it, the range of supports that have been provided and given out and any appeals and complaints that may be received as part of this. It is extremely important that we evaluate the survivors' experiences of the scheme because we do not want to retraumatise survivors as part of this scheme. Subsection (3) is really critical whereby "the Minister shall consult a panel of survivor representatives appointed in accordance with principles of transparency and independence". Survivors need to be part of this scheme throughout the process and into the future.

I will take this opportunity to say that this is a moment in our history and a reckoning for us as a country. We must acknowledge the architecture of containment we had in 20th century in our society, how we treated people and how we subjected children, women and men - those in society whom we shunned; the most vulnerable - to subhuman treatment and slave labour. We must acknowledge the trauma that was experienced by these people and the intergenerational trauma and lifelong effects, which no scheme will ever be able to fully put right. We can only do the best we can, however. We need to ensure that this amendment is accepted as part of the Bill. I wish to put on the record my support for the survivors. Connected to this, I attended the commemoration at the Bessborough mother and baby home location at the weekend. We heard from other survivors who have been mistreated and traumatised by the State and religious institutions and orders in this country. It is an absolute stain of shame on this nation what we have done to thousands of people. It is a stain of shame on our history. We need to absolutely ensure that people have access to the justice they need and deserve.