Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I commend the member for Lindsay for bringing this motion before the House. Of course, she shouldn't have to. Today, I stand in solidarity with her and with all survivors. White Ribbon Day was on 23 November. On that day, I joined hundreds of Western Australians marching for the 28th Annual Silent Domestic Violence Memorial March through the streets of Perth. While marching in silence through the streets of my city, I thought about those who we have lost and those who continue to suffer, too often silently, from domestic and family violence.

My thoughts continued to return to Beverley, Mara, Charlotte, Alice and Beatrix, along with others lost, represented visually—bluntly—by coffins placed on the gardens of the Supreme Court. I thought of the ultimate act of violence inflicted upon these lives. I thought of all of the things they would never do, never see and never experience. But the thought I cannot get out of my head is, what were the last minutes of their lives like? Behind a front door, just like my own, just streets away from where I live with my wife and my young son, sustained violence was committed. To take that thought out of your mind is very difficult. My best attempt is to turn to the policy question which we have a duty to answer: how early and how comprehensive is the intervention needed to prevent such violence and murder from occurring?

On average, one woman a week is killed by a current or former partner—every single week—in this country. One in three women have been assaulted. To put this 'one in three' into real lives, one analysis notes that some 2,194,200 Australian women have been victims of assault. No stadium or population comparison is needed: 2,194,200 Australian women. Just think about what that means for the community that we live in. Deep inside, you have to wonder: 'What if that violent capacity were inside me? What is different in my life that means that it isn't? And, given that the instances are in the millions, what don't I know about those who I see in my professional and friendship circles every single day?' And then there is the most uncomfortable question for any parent, 'How do you make sure that it isn't your son or your child who becomes the perpetrator?' I see one of the great tests of us as a country and us as a parliament is the question, 'Can we break this cycle in the next generation?' It's a challenge I take on, not just as a representative of the people of Perth but as a man, as a father, as a son, as a friend, as a colleague and as a member of my local community.

Yesterday, November 25, was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The United Nations UNiTE to End Violence against Women was an initiative launched some 10 years ago, in 2008. We have not lived up to its ambition. The initiative aims, amongst other things, for:

•Adoption and implementation of multi-sectoral national plans of action that emphasize prevention and are adequately resourced.

In other words, White Ribbon Australia does a great job but it fulfils only one very small part of the challenge ahead of us.

In developing an adequately resourced national plan we must, at the centre, acknowledge that violence against women is driven by gender inequality. You will not eliminate violence against women without achieving gender equality, and elimination starts with our children. I do commend White Ribbon Australia for their Breaking the Silence in Schools program and the teachers and parents who participate in that program. Of course, we need to teach children that violence is unacceptable.

Elimination ultimately means more resources for community organisations. I want to acknowledge the work of the under-resourced organisations throughout Perth and throughout Australia which worked tirelessly to deliver support. I want to say very clearly and unambiguously that these organisations which reduce and prevent violence and provide safety for thousands of Australian women are under-resourced. We make choices in this place to under-resource them. With that in mind, I'm just going to say very quickly thank you to the Patricia Giles Centre, one of many centres in my electorate of Perth, and end by paying tribute to the brave women in our communities who have experienced or who are experiencing violence.

Debate adjourned.

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