Page 387 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 17 February 2015
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Menslink has been supporting young men in the Canberra region for over ten years through our free counselling, volunteer mentoring and schools’ programs. In that time we’ve helped thousands of young guys get through tough or lonely times and develop into responsible, productive and contributing adult men. Our charity aims to help young men achieve their full potential. Because we believe everything is possible for them, their families and our community.
Madam Speaker, I will never be able to say a big enough thank you to Menslink for the kind and honest support that they have offered my son. I know that there are many families in our community that would echo that thankyou because Martin Fisk and his team do a fabulous job in helping those that need help.
I would also like to read from a letter to the Canberra Times on Saturday. It is from Ben Aulich, who quite openly said he represented Lloyd in his matters. In reference to an article, he said:
Given the comments of the then-chairman of Menslink, Peter Clark, I can only assume he has not met Mr Burch and does not know anything about him. My legal firm represented Mr Burch for what can only be described as a terrible offence …
Since … I have watched Mr Burch transform from a troubled youth to a vibrant, healthy and articulate young man. That change should be celebrated. I cannot think of a better person to speak to young men about the dangers of drug abuse and encouraging youths to get help if they need it, even if he does not have a shiny little card in his back pocket issued by the government … I would have thought Chief Assembly reporter Kirsten Lawson had more important matters to report on.
That was a letter from Ben Aulich.
The narrative that has been created by the Canberra Times and the Liberals shows politics at an extremely low ebb. Mr Hanson has been on radio today and in the press describing my son in the most negative terms. As a politician, it is one thing; to hear it as a mother, it breaks my heart. There is no mention of the fact that my son has gone to great lengths to improve his life and to be a positive member of our community. He has enrolled at tertiary institutions to further his study. He has enrolled to complete his apprenticeship. He is a good young man.
If this is going to be the tenor of political attacks in this place, where family and friends are fair game for the Canberra Liberals and the Canberra Times, I think it is a sad indictment of this place. My son erred. He was sentenced. He was found wanting. He has changed his life around. That should be celebrated—not this vicious, nasty attack that got started through the Canberra Times but has been held, with high abandon and absolute venom, by Mr Hanson and the Canberra Liberals.
I say to each and every one of you over there: think of what you are doing to individuals when you stand in this place and out there, in the guise of a political attack on me—a young man who is troubled and who erred. Make no mistake; I am not excusing what he did. It was nothing but serious and horrible compared to where he is
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