Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the motion moved by the member for Warringah. Last week at the UN International Women's Day parliamentary breakfast, the Prime Minister said:

One death from family violence is one too many. One death a week is an epidemic.

This scourge must end, and the Albanese government is committed to our goal of ending violence against women and children, and we want to do so in one generation.

Despite the truly horrifying figure referenced by the Prime Minister, and the fact that, in the year 2021-22, an average of 15 women per day were hospitalised due to family violence, violence against Australian women and children is not inevitable. We are working to combat this horrendous statistic. In October 2022, in partnership with the state and territory governments, we released the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032. A key part of this national strategy is addressing the underlying factors that drive violence against women and children. The goal is to prevent violence before it occurs and to intervene early and prevent escalation, and, when it does happen, to respond appropriately and in a trauma-informed way, putting the victim-survivors at the centre of the recovery and healing process. This approach has led to $2.3 billion of funding for programs that focus on consent, respectful relationships and sexual violence prevention, including $100 million over five years for the crucial work of Our Watch, the leading body for the primary prevention of violence against women and children in Australia.

The name 'Our Watch' is instructive, because making this large social and cultural change is not just the work of the government, or of women or men or children. It is the work of all of us. So I agreed with Prime Minister Albanese when he said:

Men have to be prepared to take responsibility for our actions and our attitudes.

To educate our sons, to talk to our mates.

It is worth reflecting on the progress made by the Albanese government in addressing violence against women and children. In the first year since the launch of that national plan, we've driven state and territory agreement on implementation. In addition to establishing this framework for success, we've focused on frontline supports and made practical improvements that make a real difference, such as providing financial support for women seeking to escape domestic violence. These women can access the escaping violence payment via trusted community partners—and I know the ones in my electorate do a great job. We've streamlined the application process, reducing the time it takes to receive assistance. We've also increased the amount of financial support that a temporary visa holder experiencing violence can access, from $3,000 up to $5,000.

State and territory organisations that support women experiencing violence have benefited from an additional $159 million, to deliver their vital frontline services. As the member for Warringah pointed out, we do need to increase this even more, unfortunately. But it's worth noting that that funding was due to cease on 30 June under the Morrison government. The work these organisations are doing has also been bolstered by the Albanese government, addressing workplace shortages. As a result, we're steadily growing the number of frontline workers in this important community sector.

Another initiative with immediate positive impact for women dealing with violence is the ability to access 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave from their workplaces, irrespective of whether they're permanent or casual. It's also now easier for women to contact 1800RESPECT, so that anyone experiencing family or sexual violence can receive specialist support services, such as counselling, via text message. The Albanese government is also investing in crisis and temporary accommodation for women and children, via the Housing Australia Future Fund, and delivering 720 new safe places for First Nations and CALD women and children.

These measurable and practical supports directly benefit victim-survivors and are underpinned by ongoing, extensive systemic work. The Albanese government is strengthening the way the criminal justice system responds to sexual assault. An important Australian law reform inquiry is currently underway, and I look forward to Attorney-General Dreyfus's response. It's being supported by a lived-experience expert advisory group, and we deeply respect and honour their voices. Labor is committed to strengthening and harmonising sexual assault and consent laws and to improving outcomes and experiences for victim-survivors in the justice system.

Family violence affects women of every age, every cultural background, every level of education and in every career, in vastly different communities across the country. Yet, while 91 per cent of Australians recognise that violence against women is a problem in our country, only 47 per cent think that it's a problem in the streets where they live. We need to change these attitudes and put a spotlight on domestic and family violence.

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