Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A petition has launched today calling for the federal government to commit to stable, ongoing funding for the NT Working Women's Centre, which I'm very pleased to support. Those opposite cut the centre's funding, and it's been hanging on by a thread all year. Thanks to the NT government stepping in with emergency funding, the centre survived, but if it doesn't get more it'll have to start sacking its staff.

The Respect@Work report by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins recommended that the federal government provide increased recurrent funding to working women's centres to help vulnerable workers who experience sexual harassment and expand the centres into every state and territory. Despite those opposite saying they would implement all the recommendations, there was just $100,000 in the budget for the NT Working Women's Centre. They need $900,000 each year to fully represent vulnerable Territory women, which they do under the excellent leadership of director Nicki Petrou. This government should be investing in jobs, but instead it's defunding organisations that support workers. When women are respected and do well, the flow-on effects benefit us all: the community and the economy. I encourage all to support this petition. The links can be found on my Facebook page.