A powerful event addressing one of Australia’s most confronting, hidden, and under-reported issues: incest is happening in Noosa and everyone is invited to attend.
At the heart of the evening is a screening of the internationally acclaimed French documentary Such A Resounding Silence – a raw, beautifully produced and deeply moving exploration of intrafamilial childhood sexual abuse (incest).
Told through the lived experience of incest survivors, the film has resonated with audiences across the globe, with standout screenings at the French Film Festival amongst others. Through poetic storytelling, photography, and music, it illuminates stories of pain, survival, and courage.
Following the film, a high-profile panel discussion will explore what Australia must do next – not only to support survivors, but to begin addressing incest at its source: with prevention, education, and systemic change.
The event is presented by The CorriLee Foundation, an organisation that specialises in staging major events and connecting good causes with the right benefactors.
Australian playwright David Williamson will be guest speaker at the event emceed by radio presenter Sam Coward.
The panel discussion will be facilitated by Jonathan Biggins and include panellists Tracy Adams, CEO Kids Helpline and longtime supporter of the No Laughing Matter (NLM) podcast series, Dr Jan Ewing, clinical neuropsychologist / psychotherapist, academic contributor to NLM, Dr Maggie Bell, NLM survivor story-teller, Anne Lambert, actress, psychotherapist and a NLM narrator, Professor Catharine Lumby, patron for The CorriLee Foundation and longtime supporter of NLM.
David Williamson — the most produced playwright in Australian theatre history — has been a long-time supporter of Tanya Lee and her work. Their collaboration includes Williamson rewriting his iconic play Emerald City for a special celebrity-led production (in 3 cities) staged by Tanya, featuring figures such as Ita Buttrose, Ian Thorpe, Robyn Nevin and John Singleton.
More recently, Williamson narrated one of the most confronting stories in Tanya’s No Laughing Matter podcast series — a survivor’s personal retrospective account of the lifelong impact of childhood incest. Deeply moved by the experience, and by Tanya’s ongoing advocacy, Williamson has agreed to be guest speaker at the upcoming Such A Resounding Silence event, lending his voice to a conversation he believes is both necessary and overdue.
“Some events are easy to promote. This isn’t one of them,” says Noosa local Richard Tenser, longtime Director of The CorriLee Foundation and a supporter of the No Laughing Matter podcast series.
“These are challenging conversations, but they’re essential — and the upcoming Such A Resounding Silence event creates space for honesty, understanding and change.”
The presentation of Such A Resounding Silence in Noosa marks its eighth presentation across the country in the past year.
This event matters because despite the 2012 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse – a milestone for our nation – incest was not within its scope. And yet, research consistently shows that 80–90 per cent of all child sexual abuse occurs within families, says the event’s host and founder of The CorriLee Foundation, Tanya Lee OAM.
We continue to teach our children largely about “stranger danger,” but the harsh truth is that most children are harmed by those they know and trust – often within their own homes. And for many, speaking out threatens to tear their family apart, she said.
“The 2025 revelations of alleged sexual abuse by a childcare worker in Victoria have rightly prompted swift government action to reform institutional safeguards. However, these measures, while necessary, highlight a broader issue: the urgent need to address the pervasive and often overlooked problem of intra-familial child sexual abuse.
“Just as we are mobilizing to protect children in institutional settings, we must also commit to confronting and preventing abuse that occurs within the family unit.
“The silence around incest has allowed the cycle to continue unchecked. We see the ripple effects in mental health systems, the criminal justice system, and prisons – where a staggering number of inmates were once child victims themselves.
“This is not just about survivors. It’s about prevention.
“We need to go upstream. The area of prevention is key, and there is so much here that needs to be worked on.
“Equally we need to build better pathways for education on the specific topic of incest”.
This Noosa screening is proudly supported by the groundbreaking No Laughing Matter (NLM) podcast – now in its sixth series – which shares anonymous true stories from Australian incest survivors, read by household names such as Adam Hills, Hugo Weaving, Rebecca Gibney, Jean Kittson, Grace Tame, Richard Fidler, Andrew Denton, Ray Martin, and Governor General Sam Mostyn.
Each voice helps lift the silence. Each story brings the issue out of the shadows. With more than 40,000 listens, the podcast has already proven that Australians will engage – when given the opportunity.
The event and NLM podcasts are also supported by Kids Helpline and CEO Tracy Adams, who continues to advocate for age-appropriate education and early intervention at every opportunity.
This is not just a film screening. This is a national call to action.
The event will be held at The J Theatre, on Tuesday 3 March at 6pm (doors open at 5.30pm)
Book Now: Tickets $35 from The J box office or visit thej.com.au/resounding-silence/
If this story has raised any issues for you, help is available from lifeline on 13 11 14 or at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
