Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Prime Minister for his words. We once again come to this place to recognise the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. As we do so, Australia continues to see unacceptably high numbers of women and girls being killed.

I want to begin my remarks by talking about Isla Bell, because it is another shocking example of attacks that are occurring on Australian women and girls. Isla Bell was just 19 and had her whole life ahead of her. It is alleged that she was bashed to death in an apartment in Melbourne. Her body was loaded into a fridge and moved several times before being dumped. On the day that she should have been celebrating her 20th birthday, Isla Bell's body was being hidden from view by men seeking to hide their crimes.

The sad fact is that these events—the killings of women and girls—have been a constant presence for as long as I can remember. Countless women and girls have been killed, attacked, coerced and manipulated. But today, thanks to the progress and sacrifice of so many women, and the efforts of men, too, we're talking about it openly and addressing it. Today we don't just condemn the violence; we go further and recommit ourselves to the aim of eliminating gender based violence, because we cannot and should not accept this violence, and today is about committing ourselves to that task.

We know that violence is at the end of a chain of events across someone's life. We know that, with the right decisions and the right interventions, we can break the chain of violence and save women and girls not only from the most extreme end of violence but also from disrespectful behaviour and coercion, and we know that, if we get this right, we will not only save women and girls from being killed but our society will be a safer, happier and healthier place.

So I join in supporting the words of the Prime Minister to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. There is no excuse for violence against women and girls in Australia.

UN women's statistics show that one in three women experience violence in their lifetime. That is many of us in this chamber. We know that the health of Australian women and girls is absolutely critical to their overall wellbeing and ability to fully participate in society.

Women should feel safe everywhere, always. They should feel safe in their homes, and, where matters of domestic violence arise, they should feel safe and supported in their decision-making, including when leaving a violent relationship. The 16 days of activism is a time to reflect on Australia's sobering statistics and renew our efforts to combat this awful scourge of violence. Over 60 women have lost their lives already this year to domestic violence—children left without mothers; family members without sisters; friends lost forever.

In my home state of New South Wales, the police are called to a family violence incident every four minutes. The rates of domestic violence related assault have risen by 6.5 per cent in the year to June 2024, and violence in the home takes up 60 per cent of a general duty police officer's time.

I also want to make this point, too: improving the safety of women and girls is above politics. It requires all levels of government, from all political persuasions, to continue to work together. The policy levers span across Commonwealth and state lines. We support many of the government's policies in this space and look forward to further announcements. We support a renewed focus on engaging with men and boys in violence prevention because we must see men and boys as part of the solution, not just part of the problem. The coalition will continue to work with the government and the sector to combat this scourge and help women and children escape the violence they are facing. I want to thank Senator Kerrynne Liddle and Senator Jacinta Price in the other place, and the member for Cowper in this place—all working hard and well in this cross-party effort.

In the same way, we must all demand greater action. The government has a responsibility to Australians to get this right, and the opposition has a responsibility to hold the government accountable for its commitments. We will continue to ensure that policies are announced, implemented and delivered, to keep our women and children safe. Too many women have been killed as a result of violence in 2024. Too many others have been assaulted. And there is no excuse for violence against women and girls.

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