The prime minister and opposition leader have honoured victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, a week before the royal commission releases its final report.
Labor leader Bill Shorten says the priority for 2018 should be to deliver redress and healing to survivors of abuse, but the federal government is still waiting on the states and institutions to sign up to its scheme which is due to begin in July.
Social Services Minister Christian Porter last month said he was confident of getting most states to opt into the coalition's redress scheme, despite firm opposition from South Australia's Labor government.
Both prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mr Shorten praised the bravery of survivors who told their stories to the royal commission and noted that after years of torment, they are believed.
In response to a Labor question on Thursday, Mr Turnbull said the most important thing was to "honour and believe" the survivors.
"The words they wanted to hear most of all was that they, after life times of being ignored and neglected and pushed away, they were believed and that the charities and churches and governments that had done them so much wrong were going to be held to account," he told parliament.
"Justice, honesty, transparency - that's what the royal commission has been delivering.
"I want to thank the commissioners, I want to thank above all the survivors. We believe you, we love you, we will stand with you."
Mr Shorten told parliament in a brief speech on Thursday Australians had shuddered at the revealed evil of the perpetrators, but also marvelled at the courage of survivors.
"Brave souls have revealed a hidden shame into our national consciousness and hopefully began a process of healing," Mr Shorten said.
His message to survivors was: "We believe you."
"We've learned the truth you told. We recognise our systems and our nation have failed you in the past," he said.
"But let me say that as long as there is a Labor Party, Australia will not fail you now. Our parliament needs to rise to this moment.
"We must find it within ourselves to deliver redress and healing. Let this be our priority in 2018."
The federal government's redress scheme follows a recommendation from the royal commission.
The report of the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse will be released on December 15.
