Queensland MP Teresa Gambaro is demanding Prime Minister Tony Abbott place forced marriage and the issue of female genital mutilation on the COAG agenda, saying girls are being “let down by jurisdictional red tape”.
It follows reports of a Brisbane girl being taken to Africa by her father to undergo a mutilation procedure – which is illegal in all states and territories.
“Based on the information I have received from frustrated educators and parents in Brisbane, these girls are being let down by jurisdictional red tape and confusion as to how these matters should be tackled,” Ms Gambaro said.
The MP also raised concerns about a “serious breakdown” between the reporting of suspected cases and the launching of prosecutions, pointing to issues surrounding “jurisdictional red tape”.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said this week it was extremely difficult to prevent girls being sent overseas to undergo procedures, if authorities had no evidence to suggest that was the reason behind the travel.
Ms Gambaro said she had raised the issue months ago with Abbott Government ministers, including Attorney-General George Brandis.
She said she’d heard a number of anecdotal reports of cases from principals, parents and teachers in Brisbane.
“This conduct is illegal under various state, territory and Commonwealth laws, which leads to considerable confusion on the parts of educators, health officials and community representatives as to how to report suspected cases,” she said. “This is turn leads to the second failure of a lack of resourcing for law enforcement agencies to assign proper priority for the investigation of these cases.
“There also needs to be much better and ongoing practical education programs for educators, health care providers, community representatives and law enforcement agencies as to how to work together to ensure these matters are properly reported and investigated.”
Ms Gambaro said she would write to Mr Abbott to urge him to place the issue on the COAG agenda.
She said the law clearly made the “barbarous and cruel acts” illegal, and that the small number of prosecutions should not be used as an indicator of how frequently they actually occurred.
“It is in no way adequate for us to stand by and say that these acts are illegal in Australia and think that that is sufficient to stop this conduct from taking place.
“Enforcement of the law requires a consistent and holistic approach of practical application across all jurisdictions in Australia.
“Without such an approach, the laws we have outlawing this conduct may as well not exist,” she said.