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

At the start of this 46th Parliament, I want to put the diabolical issue of domestic and family violence front and centre of the national agenda. This must be a high priority for all of us in this place to address. It remains a despicable reality that one of the most dangerous places for a woman to be is in her own home with those closest to her. Violence against women remains deeply entrenched in Australian society, and it cannot continue.

Today I pay tribute to the 29 women who have died violently in 2019. So far, in this year alone, we have lost: Sabrina Lekaj, aged 20; Rita Camilleri, aged 57; Cait O'Brien, aged 31; Shuyu Zhou, aged 23; Jelagat Cheruiyot, aged 34; Courtney Herron, aged 25; Gihan Kerollos, aged 47; Natalina Angok, aged 32; Syeda Hossain, aged 33; Vicki Ramadan, aged 77; Caris Dann, aged 30; Gabriella Thompson, aged 27; Preethi Reddy, aged 32; Qin Yang, aged 57; Marjorie Welsh, aged 92; Tamara Farrell, aged 31; Megan Kirly, aged 40; Darshika Withana, aged in her 40s; Julie Rush, aged 49; Aya Maasarwe, aged 21; Samara Baker, aged 30; and another eight, unnamed women aged between 27 and 87.

I'd like to acknowledge that this information has been compiled and is maintained in the Counting Dead Women register by the meticulous and committed researchers at Destroy the Joint. This is heartbreaking and difficult work, but it is so very important to hold us all to account and to remind us of the tragic human cost of violence and insist we do not turn a blind eye to it. There are almost certainly women who have been killed violently who have not been recognised on this list, as it is limited to those who have been publicly reported.

I am both heartbroken and disappointed that I stand here year on year with the news that yet again, despite all our efforts, nearly one woman a week is still being brutally murdered at the hands of someone she knows, but I will continue to do so until we stem this senseless carnage. While one-in-four women experience intimate partner violence and Australian police deal with a domestic violence incident every two minutes, there can be no greater issue on the parliamentary agenda. If there was any other issue that was killing Australians at such a terrifying rate, there would be calls for inquiries, community vigils, floral memorials appearing everywhere and demands for immediate action. I acknowledge that there remains goodwill and a genuine commitment on both sides of this House for change.

In 2010, the former Labor government launched the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, with a vision that Australian women would live free from violence in safe communities. The measure of success was a significant and sustained reduction in violence against women and their children. In 2019, Labor went to the election with a commitment to double the investment in the Fourth Action Plan, with record Commonwealth funding of over $660 million. While Labor wasn't able to form government, I'm pleased that the Morrison government committed $328 million in an effort to combat domestic violence. But we also need a deeper commitment to changing the culture, to fundamentally reforming attitudes and demanding a focused strategy on prevention. If there is to be a measure of the success of the 46th Parliament, let it be our record in driving down the appalling incidence of domestic and family violence.

I will end this speech as I ended the last speech I gave on this matter in the hope that I don't have to give the same speech again next year. We simply must turn things around. There can be no more pressing priority for all of us in this place.