Private Members' Business

The majority voted against a motion to make compensation available for victims of overseas terrorist acts since 10 September 2001, or their next of kin.

Wording of the motion

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) since the devastating terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001, over 100 Australians have died and many others have suffered injury as a result of terrorist attacks overseas;

(b) the victims of 'September 11', the two Bali bombings, the London and Jakarta bombings and the Mumbai terrorist attacks, were targeted because they were citizens of countries where people could choose how they lived and what faith they might follow; and

(c) 12 October 2012 will mark the tenth anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombings;

(2) recognises that:

(a) many Australian families continue to suffer as a result of their loss and injury from overseas terrorist acts;

(b) victims of overseas terrorism have not been entitled to compensation such as that received by domestic victims of crime under the various State and Territory victims of crime schemes; and

(c) the Government did not support amendments to the Social Security Amendment (Supporting Australian Victims of Terrorism Overseas) Bill 2012 which would have provided assistance for any action after 10 September 2001; and

(3) supports the Coalition’s request that the Minister make the appropriate retrospective declarations so that all of the Australian victims of overseas terrorism acts since 10 September 2001, or their next of kin, can receive this important, but modest, help.