6th June 2017
Mr WALSH (Murray Plains) (By leave) – The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Anthony Foster was a good man and he did something. Tragically he passed away after a stroke on 26 May this year aged 64. Anthony and Chrissie worked tirelessly to make sure that evil did not triumph and we thank them for that. I think the statement from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse after Anthony’s death said it very well:
Anthony and Chrissie dedicated many years of their lives to bringing about justice for survivors of child sexual abuse.
Their tireless advocacy helped bring about this royal commission.
They attended hundreds of days of public hearings and participated in many of our policy round tables.
With a dignity and grace Anthony and Chrissie generously supported countless survivors and their families whilst also managing their own grief.
Commissioners and staff at the royal commission are deeply shocked and saddened by this news.
The push from Anthony and Chrissie amongst others helped lead to the parliamentary inquiry here in Victoria in the last term of Parliament of the Family and Community Development Committee chaired by Georgie Crozier which then led to the Betrayal of Trust report in 2013. The push out of all of that here was part of the drive to have the commonwealth royal commission as well. Both those reports lifted the lid on the history of horrific abuse which we are now all very well aware of.
To Chrissie and to the wider Foster family we are eternally grateful for the work that you did not only for your family but for all the victims of abuse in this state and wider Australia. Everyone including all those families and victims is eternally grateful for the work that you did. I send our deepest sympathies to Chrissie and the family.