Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith had some questions about both the Women's Safety Package and the third action plan. I think the first of those questions was whether or not the third action plan will be released and announced at next week's meeting. That is the Commonwealth's intention. Of course, that depends upon agreement from each and every state and territory jurisdiction. I am anticipating that that agreement will arrive. I cannot say unilaterally that that will be the case, but that is the intention.

Your second question then was with respect to the budget for the women's safety initiative and the Women's Safety Package implementation. The Australian government committed$100 million as part of the 2016-17 budget to deliver the third action plan that we anticipate will be released next week but that is dependent on jurisdictional agreement. The commitment is in broad directional terms so the $100 million involves: a $30 million commitment to legal services; $25 million to assist Indigenous communities; $20 million for prevention and early intervention initiatives; $15 million for front-line services; and $10 million for research and education, including addressing sexual violence and revenge pornography. That investment is in addition to and builds on the ongoing funding of around $25 million a year that underpins the 12-year national plan. The ongoing funding supports key services like 1800Respect, which was the subject of a structural announcement earlier this year. That money that I have just described also builds on the $100 million Women's Safety Package launched by the Prime Minister in September 2015 and the $30 million national campaign to reduce violence against women and their children that was jointly funded by state and territory governments.

The Commonwealth's much broader investments that drive a reduction in violence include the $230 million to extend the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, which the member for Mayo just raised and which I will address shortly, and of course there is $1.6 billion in legal assistance, income support, education and health. That is the way in which the funding overlaps and sits with each other in context.

The WSP technology trials were to provide $12.031 million to state and territory governments. That money was required to be matched by each of the state and territory governments and it was to promote innovative technologies to keep women safe. Obviously that will differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and from suggestion to suggestion. Under the measure, the department has already provided $180,000 in funding to the South Australian government for the D3 Digital Challenge to keep women safe in 2015-16. That technology was being trialled and included a digital tool kit to support women in abusive relationships and an app that helps young people understand the consequences of a variety of behaviours. I can inform the member that nine projects across six jurisdictions have now been approved. The one I have just been described was the one that has been announced. Of course the announcement on the others will follow in the not too distant future.

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