With so many former PMs running around, it’s perhaps not surprising that they’re keen to establish a positive narrative around their individual “legacy”.

Politicking aside though, surely the former PM who can most rightly claim the creation of something meaningful is Julia Gillard.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has been a game-changer in Australia.

The commission hasn’t just turned a spotlight on the abuse of children, it has thrown more light on the issue than a New Year’s Eve fireworks display.

Countless victims – many for the first time – have had chance to tell their story and to actually be believed.

The appalling failings of organisations to deal with the perpetrators have been laid bare and will hopefully no longer be pushed aside and ignored.

Back in November 2012, Ms Gillard called a press conference to announce the royal commission.

She told this gathering that too many children had suffered and too many adults had let them down.

Ms Gillard spoke about ‘insidious evil acts to which no children should ever be subjected’.

"Child abuse is always wrong, always heartbreaking, always distressing,” the then-PM said.

“Australians know... that too many children have suffered child abuse, but have also seen other adults let them down – they've not only had their trust betrayed by the abuser but other adults who could have acted to assist them have failed to do so.”

Ms Gillard’s decision to call the royal commission was backed by Tony Abbott, who was then the opposition leader, and he deserves credit for that.

But it was Ms Gillard who made the call, and the bulk of the kudos must be hers.

Without Ms Gillard, the extent of the abuse perpetrated on Australian children may never have been revealed.

Too many evil child abusers may have been able to continue their activities under the cover of indifference from the organisations that employed them.

After the heartbreak of hearing from victim after victim about the life-long devastation caused by the abuse inflicted on them, it is almost impossible to believe there could be anything worse.

But, as the commission hearings showed, there was something worse: The deliberate efforts by a range of organisations to not only cover up the abuse of innocent children, but to actively protector the perpetrators.

When she launched the royal commission, Ms Gillard told victims it was “your opportunity to tell your story and to be believed”.

And tell their stories, they did.

We can only hope that never again will so much suffering be swept under the rug.

Last week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison made a national apology to the victims of this abuse, promising to “ensure that the systemic failures and abuses of power that brought us here today are not repeated”.

“All Australian governments are now working together to establish a national database, to ensure higher standards for working with children and that data about people’s ability to work with children is shared nationally,” Mr Morrison said.

“And our work does not stop at our borders.

“We are ensuring children across the world are protected by stopping child sex offenders from travelling overseas without permission, which will disrupt, prevent and investigate the abuse of children globally.”

Mr Morrison’s words were heartfelt and compassionate, but if ever there was a case where we will be judging people by their actions not their words, this is it.

We don’t want to be watching, 10 years from now, as the prime minister of the day makes another apology to the victims of abuses that were allowed to continue despite the royal commission.

But we all have a role to play in making sure that never happens again. 

As Irish political philosopher Edmund Burke once said, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.