Kerrynne Liddle defends her new frontbench role

The first-term Senator and newly minted shadow minister has hit back at critics claiming her promotion is political opportunism for the opposition leader.

SA Liberal senator Kerrynne Liddle has hit back at critics claiming her elevation to Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s frontbench was a move to politicise the Alice Springs crisis.

Senator Liddle claimed it had been inferred, including by a prominent Indigenous voice, that her appointment as shadow child protection and prevention of family violence minister was merely a political choice to amplify issues plaguing her hometown.

She has joined the Opposition frontbench with Nationals senator Jacinta Price, who is the Coalition’s new Indigenous Australians spokeswoman. They are both in their first terms of parliament, having been elected lasted year.

“I have not been appointed to this position based on … getting a couple of new politicians who happen to be from Alice Springs,” Senator Liddle told The Advertiser.

“I have extensive experience across a range of areas dealing with young people, as well as lived experience as a carer of children who were wards of the state.

South Australian Senator Kerrynne Liddle. Picture: Emma Brasier

Opposition leader Peter Dutton in Adelaide. Picture NEWSWIRE/ Dean Martin

“My appointment is about the practical realities of who is best person for the job and any suggestion that my appointment is political … is quite frankly absurd. This was a sensible appointment and for people to suggest it’s anything else is quite frankly offensive.”

A key part of her role will be urging the federal government to act on claims of widespread child sexual abuse in Alice Springs, an issue Mr Dutton has repeatedly raised.

The Opposition leader’s claims have been questioned, as he has not detailed any specific cases.

Catherine Liddle, chief executive of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, accused Mr Dutton and “others in opposition to the voice” of “ weaponising our children”.

Senator Liddle, who worked as a political adviser for Anne Ruston when she was families and social services minister, declared it was “time to be brave” to address child sexual abuse in Alice Springs, pointing to statistics that showed 95.5 children in every 1000 in the Northern Territory are subject to protection notifications.

“That is an extraordinary figure … This is everybody’s business,” she said.

“You only have to look at the statistics and the experience of people that actually live in those communities.”

Senator Liddle also promised to report any specific cases of child sexual abuse she might find to police.

“If somebody comes up to me and says ‘I have an example of child sex abuse’ then of course I would report it,” Senator Liddle said.

She called on the federal government to start addressing the issue by increasing funding for the Aboriginal Legal Services, which says its on “the brink of collapse” and needs an extra $250m to prevent cuts.

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