Ms PLIBERSEK (7:30 PM) —Many of us become members of parliament because we want to protect the most vulnerable members of our community; indeed, that was my main motivation in becoming a member of parliament. I have come in here tonight to put on the public record that I have failed in that duty. I have failed in my role as a member of parliament and I think that I have failed even as a citizen of this country, because on 26 September 2001 a 27-year-old woman, Puongthong Simaplee, died in Villawood detention centre. According to her account, she had been brought to Australia as a sex worker when she was 10 or 12 years old. She had worked for most of that time in the sex industry in New South Wales and Victoria.

At the time of her death, she had been in Villawood detention centre for about 71 hours. When she was brought in on 23 September, she weighed only 38 kilograms. After 71 hours of vomiting, diarrhoea and other symptoms, she weighed 31 kilos. The New South Wales coroner reported into her death, and that report was released recently. The report said that, with proper medical attention, this woman may have been alive today. Each one of us in this place presides over an immigration system that allows the death of a person in this manner, and I believe that each one of us is responsible.

This young woman was brought to Australia at the age of 10 or 12. In the early years of her teenage life, she was used by Australian men who visit brothels. In all that time, the people who profited from her work were never brought to account. They constantly broke the law. Child prostitution is, of course, illegal in Australia. However, we have to ask ourselves what actions we have taken to stop this evil trade in this country. In 1999 we passed sexual slavery and servitude legislation in this place—and I was very proud at that time to support that legislation—yet, since 1999, there has not been one single prosecution under that legislation. It is imperative that we ask ourselves why the Australian Federal Police have not been able to bring to justice the men—it is generally men—who profit from this. Why is it that DIMIA are able to locate these women—in the last year, I think about 140 women were found working in the sex industry in Australia without visas—and why is it that the Federal Police are not able to prosecute the people who are profiting from this trade?

Phuongtong Simaplee was picked up in a raid by DIMIA on a brothel in Surry Hills—`A Touch of Surry Hills' I think is the name of the brothel; it is quite close to my office. The Australian Federal Police, as far as I know, were not present, which is the pattern more than the exception in these cases. The Federal Police are often unable to prosecute these cases because the women are deported before they can give proper statements. Again we have to ask ourselves why. If we are really interested in getting the `Mr Bigs' in this trade, why are we deporting people before they are able to give statements and before they are able to appear in court? If this young woman has died in vain, each one of us should be ashamed. If one good thing comes from her death, perhaps it will be that we will finally begin to take seriously this abominable trade in human misery.