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

I wish to bring to the House's attention an issue which I have raised with the minister, and that is the pending closure of the Jenny's Place Domestic Violence Resource Centre in Newcastle. Without an injection of new money into this resource centre, it is set to close its doors by September. The Newcastle-Hunter region has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the country, and the unmet need that already exists in that community is staggering. We simply cannot afford to lose a frontline service like Jenny's Place Domestic Violence Resource Centre. Importantly, it is a centre that works both in prevention and in providing support and assistance in times of crisis.

The Liberal government campaigned on a promise of $328 million to combat domestic violence in our community. That included $86 million to be sent to frontline services. I'm calling on the government today and urging the minister—I've already written to her about the subject and I will put to her a more detailed proposal—to save vital frontline services like Jenny's Place domestic violence resource centre. This is a test of the government's commitment to stopping violence against women and children.