Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the recent commencement of the 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave entitlement for all employees of small businesses. Firstly, it is absolutely imperative that we collectively acknowledge and confront the harrowing reality of violence directed towards women and children and that all of us use this time to denounce this violence in its entirety.

In fact, the tragic toll this year has witnessed an alarming and heartbreaking number of lives cut short due to family and domestic violence. These losses of life encompassed women of all ages, a multitude of cultural backgrounds, different employment situations, different education levels and different income ranges. These women resided in our neighbourhoods, leading lives uniquely their own. Tragically, their lives were cut short at the hands of their current or former intimate partners.

We all know these horrific statistics. One in four women have experienced intimate partner violence since the age of 15. One in four women have experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner since the age of 15. One in five women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. One in six women and one in nine men have experienced physical or sexual abuse before the age of 15. But these individuals are not just anonymous statistics. These were women who were held dear and whose presence in the lives of those who loved them was so abruptly and violently taken away.

However, let us not forget that the reach of violence is, of course, not confined to lives lost. It extends to those living every day in fear of such violence. This reality is a painful reminder of the magnitude of the issue at hand.

Of course, all forms of violence against women and children are utterly, utterly unacceptable. Our government's commitment to ending family and domestic violence is unwavering and absolute.

Just last week, as the Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, I was very proud to join the Minister for Social Services in commemorating the start of 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave for small businesses. From 1 August, small business employees were given a new right to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave. This brings them in line with the same entitlements in place since 1 February for at least seven million employees who work for large or medium businesses. And it includes casuals.

Small businesses have an extra six months to adjust to the change, in recognition that they may not have the same human resources capacity as larger businesses, and to make arrangements to make sure they can administer that leave effectively. The government has provided a range of tailored supports and guidance to help small businesses to understand their obligation and be able to administer the leave entitlement both sensitively and lawfully. This includes a newly-launched podcast, Small Business, Big Impact, hosted by Gretel Killeen, which I know will greatly assist small businesses in recognising and responding to family and domestic violence. Crucially, the 10 days paid leave extended to all categories of employment, whether they be rostered, casual and part-time positions or full-time roles.

As a Labor government, we know how crucial this is. We know that all employees must have the right to access this life-saving entitlement, and now they do.

Research underscores the vital role that access to a stable income plays in empowering individuals to be able to actually leave violent relationships. Statistics reveal such a stark reality: one in five women have taken time off due to violence inflicted by a former partner, and one in 11 due to violence perpetrated by a current partner. Paid leave supports individuals to attend court proceedings, seek counselling, engage with law enforcement or navigate the many challenges involved in the process of relocating home or changing their children's school. This leave represents a tangible layer of support for those vulnerable women and children who are experiencing the trauma and reality of domestic violence. This leave will save lives and it represents yet another stride towards our goal of ending violence against women and children in one generation, as outlined in the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032. The national plan launched by this government provides a blueprint for all of society and all levels of government to end violence against women and children in one generation. Clear actions to implement the national plan will be outlined in two supporting five-year action plans. Those action plans will show steps that the Commonwealth, state and territory governments will take to address the key areas in the national plan.

In our 2023-24 budget, the Albanese government was proud to commit an additional $589.3 million to deliver women's safety initiatives under the national plan, and this was on top of our record investment of $1.7 billion in women's safety through the October budget. That's a total of $2.3 billion. We are funding a whole range of different initiatives to help deliver this plan across prevention, intervening early and supporting the delivery of vital frontline services. These include: $169.4 million over four years for 500 frontline service and community workers; $159 million over two years to extend the National Partnership on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses, with state and territory governments to continue to address many service gaps; $104.4 million to expand the role of Our Watch, to address the drivers of violence against women and children; $38.2 million in funding to extend the escaping violence payment trial and the Temporary Visa Holders Experiencing Violence Pilot Project; and $12.1 million over four years to develop and distribute social media resources on consent for young people and to support community led sexual violence prevention programs. Our government is steadfast in our commitment to ending gender based violence, and we know that it's this coordinated action that will get us there.

As we also know, on 28 October 2022 our government appointed the inaugural Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner. Ms Micaela Cronin commenced in the role on 1 November 2022, and is one of only three national domestic violence commissioners worldwide. The commissioner is absolutely central to the oversight of the national plan. Commissioner Cronin is a really key advocate for victim-survivors, and she works across states and territories to help coordinate key national safety and service frameworks. I would also like to make very specific mention of the Lived Experience Advisory Group currently being established by the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission. We know that all policy responses must have the voices of victim-survivors embedded within them and listened to. This must be ongoing and constant.

Ending violence against women and children requires our collective commitment, action and unwavering resolve—that's all of us, all levels of government and all of us within the community. The lives lost, the trauma experienced and the fear endured by victim-survivors demand our understanding, our empathy, our attention and, most importantly, effective measures and effective action. Some of the initiatives I have outlined here today mark steps in the right direction, but we all know that our work is far from done. We know that we have to continue working together. We must continue to advocate, implement and evolve our efforts until we can, collectively and proudly, declare that our society is free from family, domestic and sexual violence. I know that these views are shared throughout the entire chamber and held very, very deeply, and that we're all working together towards this goal. In fact it's the duty of all of us, collectively, to ensure that every woman and child lives in safety, with dignity and without fear.

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