Jenny Ware (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2024-2025, particularly on the way that the Labor government had lauded this budget as delivering for Australian women. I want to turn specifically to some areas where we say the government could have done better and needs to. Women's safety: improving the safety of women and girls must be a priority of this government, of all governments. As I stand here today, a woman has been killed in Australia every four days this year—shocking, appalling, crisis point, frightful. We need more descriptors. We not only need stronger descriptors but we need stronger action and collaboration, stronger policies and real solutions. We need stronger delivery on the Prime Minister's promise to eradicate domestic violence in a decade.

I do commend the government for extending the Escaping Violence Payment. This is where emergency payments of $5,000—$1,500 in cash and $3,500 in goods—can be provided to support women and children fleeing domestic violence and trying to start their new lives in safety. The coalition established this payment in 2021, and the government is to be commended for extending this payment. Unfortunately though, with the housing crisis we're currently facing this payment means that many women will still not be able to find adequate housing, particularly in social housing. Median wait times for social housing across some parts of New South Wales are now up to five years.

The government's proposed solution was through its failed Housing Australia Future Fund. We've heard today that so far that fund has paid out $30 million in 12 months in external consultancies and executive salaries without delivering a single house, social housing or otherwise. It's built nothing to house women fleeing domestic violence. It is therefore incumbent upon the Prime Minister to do more to address this housing crisis, and that includes finding solutions for single women.

The coalition has committed to allowing separated women the opportunity to use part of their superannuation to put towards a home to help them restart their lives. This is said in circumstances where a 2023 Victorian parliamentary inquiry found that only 34 per cent of women who separated managed to own a home within five years and only 44 per cent within 10 years. Divorced women are also three times more likely to rent at the age of 65 than married women. The best way to empower women, to enable them to secure long-term safety and financial security, is through home ownership. The coalition understands this.

Women fleeing domestic violence situations need far more frontline workers. We have appalling statistics around our country. Solutions to family and domestic violence to provide women with emergency support is through increased frontline services. The Albanese Labor government did commit to funding 500 frontline service and community workers; however, that commitment was made back in October 2022, and we've already heard that there is still a massive shortfall in the delivery of that policy. To date, in the Prime Minister's own state of New South Wales, my home state, only six workers are on the ground. That's six of 148 that were promised by the Prime Minister. Women are being turned away from services because of the failure of the government to deliver the policies and the promises that it has made.

I turn now to women's health. Labor heralded its federal budget as putting women's health as a central component. That is to be commended. Many Australian women suffer from chronic pelvic pain—conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome—that is debilitating, distressing and impairing their ability to live their lives to the fullest. It is welcome that the government, in this budget, is continuing to build on the significant work commenced by the coalition in this critical area. The coalition has demonstrated its commitment to women's health. It has committed to undertake a review of women's health items on the MBS and the PBS. It's supporting measures and developing policies around menopause and perimenopause, and has committed to grant $4 million to Ovarian Cancer Australia.

I conclude by observing that the budget provided some responses to address significant contemporary issues facing Australian women in areas of safety, health and financial security. However, this budget could have been and should have been so much more rigorous, more generous and more understanding of the needs of Australian women. Australian women and girls deserve better.

Proposed expenditure agreed to.

Education Portfolio

Proposed expenditure, $2,811,335,000

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