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

As I stand in support of this motion moved by the member for Waringah, I feel compelled to share some powerful words from a young North Sydney woman that actually wrote to me today. She says, 'I'm writing to you to please advocate on behalf of the people and especially the women of North Sydney, to fight for change in the government's response to gendered violence against women. Thirty-two women have been killed by men's violence this year alone. In 2024, we can and we should expect better. I'm writing to you to ask you to get the government commit to real action to make Australia a safer place for women and girls.

'Immediate action for government could include a sentencing review to ensure accountability and consequences for perpetrators. The next steps would be to target the aggravating factors, like violent online porn and misogynistic social media influences. We need sustainable and consistent investment in frontline services. Long-term cultural change must be our goal. Boys must be taught the difference between healthy masculinity and toxic masculinity. Women cannot protect themselves from murder by men; only men can stop this. Not all men disrespect women, and not all women are disrespected by men, but all violence against women begins with disrespect.

'We cannot allow the next generation of girls to grow up in a climate of fear. I refuse to let that happen as a young woman, and I'm calling on you and our government to act now. We do not have another decade of deaths to deal with.'

I want to acknowledge the words of this young woman. She's 18 and she's called on our government today with a very clear message. She's seen what the centre has been calling for and she knows that throwing money at a broken system and getting stuck in conversations is not going to take us anywhere. The points contained in the motion as moved by the member for Warringah and as seconded by the member for Goldstein will make a difference for women today. They would make a woman safer tomorrow. They're the things we need to prioritise in this place.

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