‘Absolute dream’: candidate’s hope for sex abuse reform
Laws protecting survivors of child sexual abuse should be standardized across Australia, a candidate in a crucial federal by-election has said.
Independent Michelle Milthorpe is hoping to win Farrer’s NSW seat at her second attempt in a by-election triggered by former Liberal leader Sussan Ley’s resignation from parliament.
Before turning to politics, Ms Milthorpe successfully campaigned with her two daughters to allow victims of child abuse to give pre-recorded statements in court, rather than having to potentially confront their abusers when giving live evidence.
The change was made in NSW, but the now independent candidate wants the laws to be applied nationwide.
“This would definitely be the dream,” he told AAP.
Ms Milthorpe said her campaign priorities were access to housing, healthcare and childcare across the district’s electorate, which is larger than some smaller European countries.
However, increasing support for victim survivors was a “passion”.
“If there was an opportunity for me to be a voice in that space, I would definitely take that opportunity,” he said.
Ms Milthorpe’s daughters, Pippa and Rose, were under 10 when they were abused by a family friend.
The family struggled for years in the courts, a process Pippa has previously described as confusing and difficult.
Although Ms Milthorpe is loosely affiliated with teal independent MPs, she has broken away from them on water policy; This is a controversial issue in Farrer, which includes towns along the Murray River from Albury to the South Australian border.
The federal government has long sought to buy back water from farmers who use it for irrigation and instead return it to the river for environmental reasons.
This practice is strongly opposed by many agricultural groups, who argue that water is necessary to grow crops.
Ms Milthorpe declared buybacks “must be stopped” and called for an independent review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, which governs the basin in four states.
“It’s a shame that we have people who need water but don’t own it,” he said.
The independent candidate, whose platform focuses on the environment, said it is possible to protect food security as well as protect natural areas.
Ms Milthorpe will run against Ms Ley in the 2025 federal election, narrowing the Liberal margin to 6.2 per cent.
The independent candidate began his campaign with a $60,000 war chest from the Regional Voices Fund, an organization that aims to get more independents elected.
He is expected to be one of the four leading candidates when by-elections are called.
The Liberals, National Party and One Nation plan to run but have not yet announced their candidates.
The Liberals, or Nationals, have held the seat since its founding in 1949.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Resolution Support Service 1800 211 028
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