Child abuse is a serious crime, which has a devastating impact on children, family and communities.
The safety of children should not be politicised or used as a platform to advance a political position.
It is frustrating and disappointing to hear the Opposition Leader and Senator Price again repeating the same claims and calls for a Royal Commission with no evidence and no credible solutions.
If any politician, or anyone at all, has any evidence about the sexual abuse of children then they must report it to the authorities.
These calls for a Royal Commission into the sexual abuse of Aboriginal children have been made without one shred of real evidence being presented. They play into the basest negative perceptions of some people about Aboriginal people and communities.
Child abuse is far too prevalent in Australia full stop.
The Australian Child Maltreatment Study revealed the majority of Australians (62 per cent) have experienced at least one type of child abuse or neglect, with domestic violence, physical, emotional or sexual abuse the most common.
The evidence and the solutions are very clear. There have been more than 33 reports into child protection since the Bringing Them Home Report in 1997.
SNAICC produces an annual report, Family Matters, and has done for many years which details the evidence-based solutions that will enable our children to grow up safe, loved and protected.
These solutions have been developed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations.
The most effective action Government can take to make children safe and protect their human rights is investment in community-controlled organisations working to support children and families wherever they live, committing to the National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and to Closing the Gap priorities and reforms.
We, as a collective know and have evidence to show that these are the measures that ensure children, women and families are safe and thriving.