Kylea Tink (North Sydney, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today, International Women's Day, to call on the House to note that, in the nine weeks since 2023 started, 11 women have lost their lives in acts of domestic violence. That's more than one woman a week. The shocking truth is that intimate partner violence is the main cause of illness and death in women aged 18 to 44. But let's make no mistake. These tragic deaths are preventable. There are many areas of urgent unmet need across specialist sexual, domestic and family violence services and a need for increased investment across all pillars of the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children.

Advocacy group Fair Agenda have collected testimonies from survivors, and I'm privileged to read one of those today. She said: 'I had to stay living with my abuser as there were no services that could assist me to get out. I never even received a return call from 85 per cent of the services I contacted. Women's and children's lives are on the line.' On behalf of my community of North Sydney and all in this place, I say here and now: we must and can do better.

International Women's Day does provide us with an important opportunity to reflect and celebrate those that have come before us and all that has been achieved, but it must also always be held as a space and time where we can regather as a parliament and a community around the significant work that is still left to do. The loss of these women's lives should never be accepted silently.

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