Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to shine a light on an organisation doing some great work in my electorate. Mackay Women's Service is an all-round women's health and safety centre focusing on providing women's counselling, family programs, shower and laundry rooms, computer access and emergency assistance. I met with its CEO, Susan, and its service delivery manager, Tersia, a few weeks back, and they showed me around the facilities and told me about the support services that they provide.

The statistics on violence against women in Australia are just not acceptable. On average, one woman a week is murdered by a current or former partner, one in three women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15, and one in five women has experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. These statistics are horrifying. These women could be our mothers, sisters and daughters. Violence against women takes a profound and long-term toll on women's health and wellbeing and on their families, communities and society. This is not a women's issue but a societal issue, and it is vital we all do everything we can to stop violence against women in this country. Thank you to the Mackay Women's Service from the bottom of my heart for all the amazing work they do for everybody in the electorate of Dawson.