Jennie George (Throsby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Housing and Minister for the Status of Women. Will the minister update the House on how the government is delivering on its election commitments to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault against women and children? How will this be an improvement on past responses?

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Throsby for her interest in this area. I know that she has a longstanding commitment to addressing the issues of violence against women and children. Today the Prime Minister and I attended the first meeting of the National Council on Violence Against Women and Children. Establishing an expert body in this very important area is a major milestone. During the election campaign we said that if we were elected we would accept some responsibility as a Commonwealth government to reduce the incidence and impact of domestic violence and sexual assault on women and children in our community and that we would ask an expert council to help us and guide us in that work. Today we delivered on that commitment.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that around one in three Australian women experience physical violence in their lifetime and almost one in five experience sexual violence in their lifetime. It is a problem that remains still too hidden in our community and is one that requires the urgent attention of our government. We released new figures today that show that 90 per cent of women who experience physical or sexual assault do not access crisis support services, legal help or helplines. We also know that two out of every five women who do get help and take out a restraining order against a former partner experience further violence after that restraining order has been put in place. That is simply not good enough. It requires practical Commonwealth leadership in this area.

Our council is made up of 11 experts with very high standing. The chair of the council is Libby Lloyd, who is one of the founders of the Australian White Ribbon Day campaign and an internationally respected voice in human rights. The deputy chair is Heather Nancarrow, the Director of the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research. She is also working with us on the homelessness steering group. The other members of the council include: Lisa Wilkinson, Pauline Woodbridge, Vanessa Swan, Dorinda Cox, Andrew O’Keefe, Dr Melanie Heenan, Associate Professor Moira Carmody, Maria Dimopoulos and Rachel Kayrooz. These people are extraordinary community leaders from a very diverse range of backgrounds. I am sure that they will make an enormous commitment in helping us reduce violence against women and children.

The Prime Minister has asked this council to oversee not just our national plan but the practical measures that have already begun in this area, including a resource that will roll out to high schools all around the country educating young men and young women about what respectful relationships look like and about the impact of domestic violence and sexual assault on our community. They will also oversee work on the expansion of the White Ribbon Day campaign and a number of other projects that we have already initiated in this area. This is in contrast to the actions of the former government in this area. There was a degree of—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do know. Mr Speaker, I know they are a little bit sensitive about this. It is in stark contrast to the record of the former government that did, I agree, spend quite a lot of money on advertising in this area. Part of the difference in approach is that the previous government did focus a lot on advertising and publications. In fact when the deputy leader was the minister for women in the financial year 2006-07 they spent more than half a million dollars on publications alone including public information.

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, can I strongly associate our side of politics with the beginning remarks of the minister, but she diminishes herself and this issue by this political tack.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition said that they spent this money on a public education campaign. Indeed if we have a look at the public education material that we are talking about, one of the things produced was—

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The book the minister is about to refer to is not to do with domestic violence and if she is seeking to infer—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! That is not a point of order. The deputy leader will resume her seat.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for North Sydney will resume his seat. The minister will bring her answer to a close.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very happy to offer the—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for O’Connor is really not assisting at all.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have 13,000 copies of this book left. It is a beautifully-produced book—

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has nothing to do with domestic violence. She will not mislead the House.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. The minister is concluding her remarks.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to offer the remaining 13,000 copies of this book to the opposition. If they are able to dispose of them, they are welcome to have them.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Hockey interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for North Sydney will resume his seat. Has the minister concluded her answer?

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Bowman is just not assisting. Those who are aggrieved have other avenues open to them. I would just highlight that.