“As a foundation member of the Bravehearts NSW Advisory Board, I will be party to putting white balloons on the front and rear of the Parliament House on Tuesday the 8^th of September at 10am with Pru Goward, the Member for Goulburn and Shadow Minister for Community Services,” Mr Roberts said.

“The Government Member for Heathcote, Paul McLeay, has advised me he will do likewise as a bipartisan gesture to lift awareness of the plight of children who are groomed and abused by paedophiles in Australia,” he said.

White Balloon Day originated in Belgium in 1996 when 30,000 people gathered as a show of public sympathy and support for the families of young girls who were the victims of a notorious paedophile – Marc Dutroux.

White Balloon Day awareness campaigns have been conducted in Australia during the National Child Protection Week under the auspices of Bravehearts and its founder and executive director, Hetty Johnston.

“By publicising this day I hope that we can encourage people to report any instances of current assaults and help survivors of child sexual assault to seek help,” Mr Roberts said.

“Research from Bravehearts, Australia’s leading child protection advocate, reveals one in five children will be assaulted before their 18^th birthday.

“That's simply not acceptable and we must all do everything we can to help protect Australia's most vulnerable – our children,” Mr Roberts said.