Sonya Ryan, who founded the organisation in memory of her daughter, wants the political point scoring to stop, and good laws to be passed:
The Carly Ryan Foundation is calling out the bad behaviour of politicians, to stop having a battle of wills, name calling and bullying type behaviour over the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2019.
This behaviour seems to happen all the time in politics, but enough is enough. The Foundation delivers online safety programs throughout Australia, where we teach students how to look after themselves online and critically think about what kind of identity they are portraying online. Our representatives regularly behave in a way that is in complete contradiction to the message we are delivering to students in schools. Cyberbullying. Name calling. Blame-shifting. Unkindness. We are having to tell children that the adults in their lives may not be the best examples.
The prioritisation of political point scoring above meaningful, representative (in the truest sense) collaboration on this issue is disappointing to anyone who works in the protection of children.
This should not be a political jousting match but a coming together, particularly when it comes to the protection of children.
Child protection is an area that requires voices of reason, that connects all of us because children are our most precious gift and our future.
Sonya Ryan, CRF founder & CEO, implores all sides of government to come together and pass this bill as soon as possible.
“This bill will genuinely help so many people and so many victims of crime.
“There is no question that we want child sex offenders put away for a long time and off the streets, this is an absolute given. As a mother who has lost a child through the actions of a heinous child sex offender, I implore all sides of government work together, compromise and pass this bill as soon as possible with or without mandatory sentencing.”
Victims of crime, innocent children, the Australian community are looking for leaders who will stand up for those who cannot defend themselves, who put political battles aside for the greater good of humanity, who are able to push their egos aside and do what’s right.
As we see it there are two practical options;
1. Pass this legislation with mandatory – a review in three years.
2. Pass this legislation without mandatory – work with the judiciary to increase sentencing overall and make sure adequate sentences are being applied – a review in three years.
Either way our children win. This is a huge step in the fight against those who wish to harm families.
