Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for Fowler for his very committed response today regarding this issue. And I want to place on record today my very strong support for this motion of the member for Fowler on behalf of the community groups, advocates and people I have met in my short time that I have been a member of parliament, who are doing everything they can to stamp out, remove and abolish domestic and family violence. I have read the reports, I have heard the speeches and I have listened to the victims. One in three women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and one woman dies at the hands of a current or former partner every week in this nation. Every year, that's around 300,000 women who are experiencing domestic and family violence.

Like every member of this House, I am really proud to be a strong supporter of the White Ribbon Campaign, not only as a representative in this place but also as a community representative. We know White Ribbon's aim is to generate understanding of domestic violence. It acknowledges men speaking to men about stopping violence against women because, as we know, that's the most powerful catalyst for change. Through education, preventive programs, community partnerships and bringing people together, we will see a reduction in these horrific statistics.

I want to place on record again today my sincere and genuine thanks for an event that I attended in my local community. I'm so proud to represent schools like Glenala State High School, which hosted its first domestic violence symposium, simply entitled 'Inala says no'. This campaign event brought together community representatives, parents, students, teachers and the Queensland Police Service. The event served as a timely reminder of this important issue and it really provided important knowledge, support and opportunity for the school community to collaborate on solutions. We heard from speakers like: Professor Ross Young; a school based police officer, Senior Sergeant Paul Ennis; and the Glenala State High School captains, wonderful student leaders in our community, Jonathon Bryan and Sheba Ooms. The school also unveiled two new murals created by the students to highlight the issue, and I want to thank my local newspaper, the Southwest News, for highlighting this wonderful initiative. These murals were made from 262 individual tiles painted by the students. They represented the shared advocacy and solution of the local community on the day.

While sadly domestic and family violence remains a part of many Australian communities, I'm immensely proud to see schools like Glenala State High School in my electorate taking a lead role. I want to publicly thank the school principal, Ms Anne Lawson, all the teachers, support staff and particularly the students who really stepped up to show what it means to say no to domestic and family violence.

One of the other significant community events that I'm proud to support—I went along to it last year and it will be held again—was organised by a wonderful community advocate, Lome Swan, of Anglicare in the Oxley electorate. People like Bevan Doyle, Bruce Manu Sione, my good friend Uncle Albert Holt, Eddie from Kiwi Daddys and Jeffrey Mwanza, who was a White Ribbon ambassador for 2009 and has been a dedicated social worker in our community, will come together again to celebrate and to recognise the important White Ribbon event on Saturday, 25 November, at a community breakfast.

These events being held right across the country shine a spotlight on the scourge which is domestic and family violence. It is not just the community works I want to acknowledge; I want to acknowledge and thank members of workplaces which are now gathering and recognising White Ribbon events. Over the years, I've attended a number of business sites and I want to recognise large organisations like Capral Aluminium which, alongside the Australian Workers' Union, have taken a key leadership role on worksites right across the country to highlight the issue of domestic and family violence, to stamp this issue out and to make it clear—whether it be in the community sector or at worksites—that, when it comes to domestic and family violence, our community says no.

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