Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia has a deep-seated problem with domestic violence. Forty-seven women have been killed as a result of gender based violence in Australia this year, according to reporting from Destroy the Joint. No-one should lose their life to violence, least of all at the hands of those they love, trust or live with. No-one should live in fear of their life, especially within their own home. We must put a stop to domestic and family violence, and our government won't be satisfied until we have.

Our government are doing more than ever to end gender and family violence. That's why National Cabinet on Friday agreed to practical next steps, backed by a comprehensive $4.7 billion package. This coordinated approach across all states and territories brings together efforts and funding to deliver much-needed support for frontline specialist and legal services, backs innovative approaches to better identify and respond to high-risk perpetrators, and addresses the role that systems and harmful industries play in exacerbating violence.

Our government will invest $3.9 billion in a new National Access to Justice Partnership over five years to ensure long-term funding for community legal centres and the legal assistance sector. We're investing $700 million in new matched investment from the Commonwealth, states and territories for a new five-year national partnership agreement on family and domestic and sexual violence responses. Eighty million dollars will be invested to enhance and expand child-centric trauma-informed supports for children and young people.

We know that ending family and domestic violence can't be done without the support of states and territories. National Cabinet saw the first ministers agree to develop new national best practice family and domestic violence risk assessment principles, and support enhancements to the National Criminal Intelligence System to better support information sharing to assist police in responding to high-risk perpetrators. They have also committed to trial new deterrence models and domestic violence threat assessment centres to prevent homicides. States and territories have also committed to reviewing alcohol laws and their impact on family and domestic violence victims to identify and share best practice reforms.

Our government also previously invested $925 million in a permanent new leaving violence payment, providing those eligible for the payment with up to $5,000 in financial support. The permanent program builds significantly on previous government investments.

As a co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Ending Violence against Women and Children, alongside the member for Bass and Senator Waters, I've been proud to bring a wide range of perspectives to this place to discuss how we can prevent domestic violence. We have heard from leading advocates like former Australian of the Year Rosie Batty and key organisations involved in groundbreaking domestic violence prevention pilots, including Our Watch and Respect Victoria.

On Thursday we will mark National Survivors' Day here in parliament for the recognition and commemoration of the journeys of victim-survivors of sexual assault and institutional abuse across Australia. National Survivors' Day will be held on 12 November, and I encourage all of my colleagues in this place to mark the day within their communities to show support.

I also want to acknowledge World Suicide Prevention Day, which is marked on 10 September every year, which is tomorrow. World Suicide Prevention Day is a powerful day of global observance and understanding for people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide. Ten million people across our country have been impacted by suicide, 3,000 Australians die by suicide each year, and 55,000 Australians attempt suicide each year.

Suicide prevention is something that we—the community sector, the parliament and the government—can and must work together on. We must reduce discrimination, stigma and prejudice associated with suicidal behaviour so that people can seek the help that they need without fear of judgement. Many organisations do important work for suicide prevention, including Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Australia. Organisations like StandBy provide critical support for people in communities who are bereaved by suicide in supporting their grief.

Today, the report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was tabled here in the parliament, and we are more aware than ever of the need for action to prevent deaths by suicide. I just want to quickly acknowledge Julie-Ann Finney, who was in the chamber today for the tabling of that report. She lost her son David to suicide. He lived in my electorate, and I met with her quite early on. She has given her all to this, and seeing this report would mean so much to her and so many in our community today.