Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. With respect, the member for Goldstein's question was the first to address domestic and family violence in this place. Many talk about keeping communities safe, but we are failing women and children. A woman a week and a child every two weeks are killed and yet we talk of keeping communities safe. Both sides of parliament came together to pass urgent legislation following the High Court decision. Where is the urgency, the national emergency, when it comes to women and children? With respect, 10 years is not good enough.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Warringah for her question. My government came to office with a clear commitment to increase funding for community service workers dealing with violence against women and children. I announced it in Queanbeyan with the now member for Eden-Monaro—I'm not sure if the fine minister was the member at the time—and with then shadow minister Linda Burney. We announced the most significant expansion, and we put the money in the budget. Now there are people working to protect women and children from domestic violence because of that.

One of the first pieces of legislation that we introduced in this parliament was for 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave. It was one of the very first. That is now in place as a result of my government's actions. We ensured, in our budget process, in the two budgets handed down by the Treasurer, that we provided the funding that in many cases was due to stop on 30 June. After we came to office, we went through it line by line, including in places like—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could the Prime Minister just refine—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to hear what the point of order is. Can you just state what the point of order is.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a point of order and relevance, Mr Speaker. Could the Prime Minister refine his tone given the subject matter we are discussing?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. That is not a point of order. That is an abuse of the standing orders as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister is being directly relevant to the question and outlining the government's response.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm passionate about the issue of family and domestic violence, and I'm passionate about doing something about it because I know the impact that it has. I've been there. I'm determined to make sure that my government, while we are in office, make a difference each and every day and at each and every opportunity that we have had around the cabinet table, led by, it must be said, the Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher. Minister Amanda Rishworth and Minister Bill Shorten have particular responsibilities in these areas but are particularly led by Katy Gallagher. If there has been a stronger advocate for women ever elected to either chamber in this place, I have not seen them. So we will continue to do what we can, and I would hope that we do so, reflected by the Leader of the Opposition's last comments in response to the question that I received, in a bipartisan way. I accept, for example, that the Leader of the Opposition took some measures, when he was minister, particularly aimed at children and those issues. These issues certainly should remain bipartisan. I assure the member for Warringah that I will continue to be a strong advocate, but I'm very proud of what my government has done. Has it been perfect? No, because these issues aren't perfect. They take time.

It's not just a matter of government. It's a matter of every bloke having a conversation around the pub or at the footy, calling it out when they see that it's wrong. Men have a responsibility. Men are in a position to make a difference with their peers. This needs to be not just a government response—this needs to be a whole-of-society response. And that is what I am committed to as a matter of urgency.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I want to support the Prime Minister in his comments that he's just made. I want to say to the member for Warringah: I'm sure that her sentiment is heartfelt but this is not an issue for pointscoring or political difference. The Australian public should hear that there is no difference between either side—anybody in this chamber—in relation to this most serious issue.

Every government, including this government, has dedicated themselves to doing its best to reduce violence through funding, through programs, through innovation, and the support that the Prime Minister expects from all of us is forthcoming—will be forthcoming, Prime Minister. I don't believe it's a fair critique of the government to say that they haven't done enough or that they're not doing enough or that they don't have the intention to act properly in this space. I don't think that's the view of the Prime Minister at all, and I think it mischaracterises the approach of the government, and the approach of the opposition will be to support it.

As the Prime Minister rightly points out, the establishment of Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation was supported on a bipartisan basis, and it saved, literally, thousands of children. It supported women in domestic violence situations where children were being sexually offended against. The strongest message that we can send from this chamber to the Australian public is that we stand united to condemn it.

As the Prime Minister rightly points out, all of us should have conversations, and regular conversations, with our sons, with our nephews, with others that we influence. And we need to call out in the workplace, or anywhere else, the atrocious conversation, demeaning behaviour or conduct that some might seek to pursue. This is not an issue where there is a cigarette paper of difference between the government and the opposition, and nor should there be with the crossbench or with anyone else in this place.