The controversial bill authorising the Federal Government to adopt radical measures to tackle the child-sex abuse in the Northern Territory (N.T.) was passed in the Senate, with mix views among Christians about the legislation.
After a 27-hour marathon debate in the Senate, the 500-pages bill was passed. The Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough, told Bloomberg that the focus was now on improving the lives of Aboriginal children and this was a 'solid base' to which it would make this happen.
"We can now focus on improving the lives and futures of hundreds of thousands of Aboriginal children who deserve a better start in life," he said. "This is a solid base for us to make a real difference."
Writing in the Soundings publication, published by the Sydney Baptist Morling College, Reverend Rod Benson wrote that although the Prime Minister still has a long way to progress in this initiative, but nonetheless the new legislation does address the twin problems of child abuse and neglect.
"Clearly the Howard government has a long way to go in progressing this initiative. I suspect that a Labor government would have done much the same in similar circumstances," he wrote.
"There is much more of value still to be said on the new legislation, its implementation in the communities affected, and the degree to which the unprecedented measures actually address the interrelated problems of child abuse and neglect, and the fuelling of these crimes by alcohol and drug abuse, petrol sniffing and access to pornography."
In a discussion paper released by Andrew Cameron and Lisa Watts, on behalf of the Social Issues Executive of the Sydney Anglican Diocese, they concluded that the response from the Federal Government is best described as an 'emergency field surgery,' which is a blunt instrument designed to tackle a complex and multifaceted problem.
"Perhaps we should imagine the recent Federal Government intervention as a form of 'emergency field surgery'â€"a rapid response, with limited instruments, to save a patient. But it is a blunt instrument, and the ultimate solution will be complex and multi-faceted," the paper stated.
Christians are calling on everyone to take part in this debate as well as to pray for those involved in the intervention.
The bill was passed with an overwhelming support in the Senate with both the Green and the Australian Democrats opposing it, reported Bloomberg.