‘Heads in sand’: Labor lashed over NT child sex abuse claims

Simon Birmingham and Sussan Ley have called on the government to take action over Peter Dutton’s assertion of widespread child sex abuse.

Peter Dutton has made assertions of widespread child sexual abuse in central Australia. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Coalition has dug in behind Peter Dutton’s assertion of widespread child sexual violence in central Australia, with Liberal senator Simon Birmingham and opposition deputy leader Sussan Ley calling on the federal government to stop playing politics and take action.

Senator Birmingham on Friday criticised the government’s “shameful” reaction to Mr Dutton’s claims and called on Anthony Albanese to show “leadership” over the issue.

A political storm erupted on Thursday during Mr Dutton’s visit to Alice Springs, as the ABC came under fire for abruptly ending the live broadcast of a fiery ­exchange between the ­Opposition Leader and an ABC journalist over the claims.

NT Police Minister Kate Worden attacked Mr Dutton for ­“absolutely opportunistic political game-­playing” in alleging widespread child sexual abuse in the territory.

“It’s quite frankly a dog act,” Ms Worden said, calling on Mr Dutton to report any evidence he had to police.

Labor senator for the NT, ­Malarndirri McCarthy, also called for the allegations to be referred to police. “I would ask Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, if you are aware of this, then you need to mandatorily report it to police so that there can be an investigation immediately, and if you have not done that, I would urge you to do so as soon as possible,” she said.

Senator Birmingham told Sky News the “shameful” reaction of the Labor Party suggested

they “somehow had their heads buried in the sand when it comes to this far too tragic issue.”

“People can focus on the issue, which is the extent to which there is sexual abuse, assault, violence – the type of activities in Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory that have been going on for far too long … are driven by a range of different abuses of alcohol, of drugs, of gambling, of different gambling technologies … but these are a known scourge and shame on our nation,” he said.

Ms Ley said she “could not fathom” why the Northern Territory and federal governments had not taken “more urgent” action over the “national tragedy” in the NT.

“Instead of demonstrating leadership, we are seeing political accusations levelled at Peter Dutton that are quite frankly, disgusting,” she told reporters.

“To accuse Peter Dutton of playing politics with children is so offensive and wrong.

“Peter Dutton started his working life out as a cop. It was his job to go into broken and dangerous homes and save children. That is what he did, day in, day out he was there to protect kids who had no one to protect them.

So to accuse Peter Dutton of playing politics with children is offensive and it is wrong.

To see the NT Government seek to attack him for going to Alice Springs and listening to local communities is ridiculous.”

Ms Ley said her “great fear” was that, given the increase in alcohol fuelled violence in Alice Springs, the numbers could “very well be a floor and not a ceiling”.

“The devastation being wrought on children in Alice Springs and across the Northern Territory demands action. Because this is not about politics, it is about leadership,” she said.

“There is a national tragedy unfolding in Alice Springs with women and children at risk of violence and sexual assault and there’s a crisis spiralling in aged care across this nation and the Prime Minister needs to get off the beach and back to work.

“It can’t be right that Australia’s national leader is kicking back on holidays while some of Australia’s most vulnerable are being kicked out of their homes”.

Senator Birmingham called on Labor to “put the politics aside”.

“I’m not pretending this is an overnight problem that’s only arisen under the Albanese government,” he said. “Yes it got worse when the alcohol restrictions were lifted … but this is an enduring problem. And indeed, it’s an intergenerational problem.”

“(The Prime Minister) ought to show far more leadership on these issues than has been the case. Yes he visited Alice Springs but all too briefly.”

Senator Birmingham also said his position against the Indigenous voice to parliament – which appears less bullish than some of his colleagues – has not come up as a concern in conversations with the Opposition Leader.

“No concerns have been raised with me about expectations that somehow I’m out there addressing rallies,” he said.