Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 25 November 2024 marks the United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, beginning 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence;

(b) in Australia, it has been publicly reported that approximately 64 women have been killed by acts of violence by men as of 17 November 2024;

(c) one in three Australian women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by a man since the age of 15;

(d) violence against women and girls impacts everyone, of all genders, ages, ethnicities, religions and socio-economic backgrounds, it does not discriminate, and is almost always committed by men; and

(e) there is no excuse for violence against women and girls;

(2) commends the work that the Government has done so far in taking immediate and practical steps to support women and children to escape from violence through significant investments to support the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-32;

(3) recognises the following additional commitments made by the Government to end violence against women and children in a generation:

(a) $4.4 billion in new funding to address the scourge of gender-based violence and respond to the government initiated Rapid Review into Prevention Approaches through:

(i) convening a national cabinet on gender-based violence at which the Government committed to investing $3.9 billion in support for frontline legal assistance services;

(ii) investing $351 million over five years for funding under a renewed five-year national partnership agreement to be matched by states and territories; and

(iii) allocating $169 million in targeted initiatives to support the National Plan; and

(b) $1 billion through the National Housing Infrastructure Facility for housing for women and children impacted by violence, plus other supports for housing single parents; and

(4) further recognises that there is still much more work to be done to prevent violence against women and children and to create lasting change, that it is a whole of community response, and that the Government is absolutely committed to leading this response.

It is with a heavy heart that I rise to speak to this motion moved in my name. Sixty-six Australian women have been killed so far this year in acts of violence—mostly at the hands of men. This time last year, that number was 53. Each year, I rise in parliament to read the names of those women who've been killed over the past year, and I long for the day when there is no list and there is no need for this speech. But, sadly, today is not that day.

Let us honour and remember Alison Robinson, who was just 39 when she was killed; Nerol Doble, aged 65; Bonnie-Lee Anderson, 39; Keira Marshall, 29; Alana Martin, aged 30; Antoinette Tozer, aged 76; Vyleen White, aged 70; an unnamed woman, 42; another unnamed woman, in her 60s; Samira Kammalledine, 80 years of age; Amarjit Kaur Sardar, aged 41; Min Cho, 41; an unnamed woman, 26; Samantha Murphy, aged 51; another unnamed woman, aged 60; Joanne Perry, 53; Chaithanya 'Swetha' Madhagani, aged 35; Mauwa Kizenga, aged 22; an unnamed woman, 66; Hannah McGuire, aged 23; Tara Morrison, 38; Ashlee Good, aged 38; Dawn Singleton, 25; Jade Young, 55; Pikria Darchia, aged 55; Yixuan Cheng, 27; Molly Ticehurst, aged 28; Emma Bates, 49; Erica Hay, aged 30; Joan Drane, 78; Jennifer Petelczyc, 59 and Gretl Petelczyc, aged 18; an unnamed woman, 36; Wanda Dorothy Uhle, aged 78; an unnamed woman, 77; Evette Verney, aged 61; Natalie Frahm, 34; Annette Kiss, aged 53; Carolyn McCarthy, 51; Sarah Miles, aged 40; Annette Brennan, aged 67; Nunia Kurualeba, aged 21; Kierra-Lea Jensen, 28; Lolene Whitehand, aged 85; Kiesha Thompson, 23; an unnamed woman, 36; Frances Crawford, aged 49; Xiaoting Wang, 21; an unnamed woman, 43; Suzy Rackemann, 61; Jasmine Sloane, aged 35; Loyla Morgan, 39; Debra Hunter, 67; Natalie Galcsik, aged 46; an unnamed woman, 22; Christine Mills, aged 58; another unnamed woman, 37; Isla Bell, aged 19; an unnamed woman, 42; Cheryl Davidson, in her 50s; Nikkita Azzopardi, aged 35; Mavis Stanley, 47; an unnamed woman, aged 70, Shirley So, 50; Vicky Van Aken, 51; and another unnamed woman, aged 61.

This is not just a list of names. These are 66 women, each loved and cherished, who were living ordinary lives just like ours—lives that were tragically and unjustly stolen through acts of violence. We know their names because of the tireless and heartbreaking work of Destroy the Joint, who maintain the Counting Dead Women Australia register. I want each member of parliament to join me in redoubling our efforts to act with urgency to stop this violence against women and children. Together, we can break this cycle.

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