Laura Harmon (Labour)

I I wanted to put on the record why I oppose the Bill. While it contains good measures, from my perspective and that of the Labour Party, we believe that anyone who spent so much as a minute in one of these institutions should be able to access redress, and those who were boarded out should be included as part of this as well.

In terms of other jurisdictions, we saw mass trafficking of children from this country in the 20th century. Those who are living with this now, in the US and Britain, should not have to choose one payment scheme over another. They should not be put at a disadvantage in applying.

I just wanted to put it on the record again that thousands of people suffered physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and mental abuse, were denied access to records and information about their identity, and were subjected to medical trials as part of this and, indeed, what I would call slave labour. This has contributed hugely to institutional trauma and to our national psyche. We need to have full and proper healing, respect and validation for all survivors in this country. Unfortunately, there are many not with us who will not be able to ever avail of this because they are no longer with us. It was a grave injustice that this happened.

I commend the special advocate, Patricia Carey, on her work on this. I thank the survivors in the Gallery and my colleague Senator Victor Boyhan, who spoke so passionately and eloquently on this.

People were made to feel ashamed in these institutions for who they were but the shame belongs to the State, the institutions and the perpetrators of these injustices and crimes alone. It is the State's shame only.