Daily Archives: 24 July, 2020

Safety boost for WA’s Sikh community

Background: Sikh Gurdwara Perth Inc has received $315,000 from the Morrison Government as part of the Safer Communities Fund. The money will go towards a perimeter security fence and an emergency PA system at their Bennett Springs headquarters. Dean Smith, Senator for Perth’s Northern Suburbs, this week met with President Navtej Kaur Uppal and other senior members of the organisation. The Senator, who supported Sikh Gurdwara Perth Inc’s grant application, took part in a virtual announcement to the local community via Facebook Live. Quotes attributable to Senator Dean Smith: “I’m delighted to see the WA Sikh community, which gives so much to its members and WA as a whole, receive the funding required to keep it safe and flourishing.” “Their Bennett Springs base is used for religious worship and community events, but also for learning and children’s’ sport, so security is a major priority.” “Now the WA Sikh community can focus on the wonderful cultural and philanthropic work it does without fear of any antisocial behaviour, which, sadly, it has suffered from in the past.”

Time for Fairbridge survivor justice is now, calls on Premier to pledge support

Senator Dean Smith, Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme, has met with representatives of the Old Fairbridgians Association of WA to confirm new initiatives being undertaken to reverse compensation delays faced by survivors of child sexual abuse while in the care of Kingsley Fairbridge Farm School in Pinjarra, Western Australia. Senator Smith was able to confirm: Firstly, that Fairbridge (Restored) Limited and The Prince’s Trust would be called to appear before the Joint Parliamentary Committee overseeing the National Redress Scheme to publicly explain their failure to sign up to the Scheme by the 30 June, 2020 deadline. Secondly, he had formally written to WA Premier Mark McGowan (letter attached), seeking his full cooperation on this matter and for an undertaking that, if Fairbridge (Restored) Limited or The Prince’s Trust were found to be a ‘defunct organisation’*, the WA Government would not delay invoking the ‘Funder of Last Resort’^ provisions in the National Redress Scheme to provide redress to survivors. And, finally, that senior officials from the Attorney-General’s Department, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Home Affairs had begun convening to resolve the Fairbridge matter as quickly as possible. Senator Smith used his meeting with the OFA to again reassure survivors that he will fight to ensure justice is delivered to those who deserve it as quickly and painlessly as possible, noting the tragic reality that for many survivors it is already too late.       *An institution which no longer exists. It can be either a government or a non-government institution. ^Where it is determined that a Commonwealth, state or territory government institution is equally responsible for the child sexual abuse of a person with a defunct non-government institution, and pays the defunct institution’s share of redress. The Commonwealth, state or territory government must agree that it will be a funder of last resort for a defunct non-government institution before any payment for redress is made to a person.