Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I want to talk about a national tragedy that is occurring on our doorstep. It is a tragedy that is blind to race, culture, age and postcode, and it is a tragedy that is growing to epidemic proportions. That tragedy is domestic violence.

The shocking stories we have seen over the past weeks are unacceptable. In one single week, we saw reports of five attacks on women and children, by men. Tara Brown, from the Gold Coast, was allegedly run off the road and then fatally bludgeoned as she lay defenceless in her upturned car. The next day, Brisbane woman Karina Lock was shot at point-blank range by her estranged husband. On the same day in Brisbane, Zarah Abdi was viciously attacked with a machete by an ex-partner. Earlier in the week, a Sydney man was charged with the stabbing murders of his mother and young nephew.

These are not isolated incidents. Tragically, one woman dies every week at the hands of a current or former partner. This year alone, it is estimated that more than 60 women have lost their lives to domestic violence. One in three Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15, and 17 per cent of Australian women have experienced violence by a current or previous partner in their lifetime. It is estimated that Australian police deal with 657 domestic violence matters every day of the year. That is one every two minutes—and things are getting worse. Karen Willis, Executive Officer of Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia and 1800RESPECT, has warned that we are on the verge of a tsunami of domestic violence. Looking at the data, it seems that she is right.

In Victoria, the most recent police statistics, from June this year, show a 65 per cent increase in the number of family violence incidents since 2011. Last year, while the crime rate decreased by 0.6 per cent across the board, family violence incidents bucked the trend, showing an eight per cent increase. The annual police performance report in my home state of Tasmania, which was recently released, revealed a very perturbing spike in family violence. Last financial year saw family violence incidents jump to more than 2,600, up almost 200 from the previous year. We also saw a spike in the number of family violence orders that were issued, up to 1,426 from 1,329 the year before. It is a problem that we have known about for many decades, and good hearts and minds have been trying to solve for many years. But, despite all the goodwill, we are not achieving the results that we must.

We also need to recognise that domestic violence is not just a disease; it is a symptom of entrenched cultural problems with attitudes to women. While there have been enormous advances in recent years in attitudes to women, there are some corners of our society where lingering sexism is still prevalent and where gender inequality is accepted as normal or appropriate.

The reports that have come to light in the past few weeks have angered, saddened and sickened me in equal measure, but the overwhelming feeling that I have been left with is outrage—outrage that such vicious attacks of violence could somehow be accepted as unfortunate but unavoidable or even normal, and outrage that we have fundamentally failed to provide pathways for these women to get out.

We cannot let this just be a flurry of reports soon forgotten and discarded. Change will require a commitment from all sectors of society and members of all communities to bringing about deep and lasting cultural change that rejects violence against women. Complacency is no longer an option. We need to act and we need to act now. We need a coordinated commitment from all levels of government across the health, welfare, family and community services and crime and justice sectors. There are some important steps being taken already, like the decision of the Palaszczuk government to fast-track change and commit to adopting the recommendation in Quentin Bryce's landmark report on family and domestic violence, Not now, not ever.

This is a national tragedy and it needs strong national leadership to drive change. Sadly, domestic violence still has not managed to secure an appropriate place on our national agenda that reflects the sheer scale and urgency of the problem. I believe there are genuine, good hearts on both sides of politics and a genuine determination throughout this place to see an end to this senseless violence. I also recognise that the former Abbott government has regularly voiced its clear intention to address the pressing issue of domestic violence. Mr Abbott spoke with strong words about the unfolding tragedy and has declared 'enough is enough' when it comes to the scourge of domestic violence. I also support Mr Abbott's call to appoint a fierce advocate for action on domestic violence, Rosie Batty, as the Australian of the Year. I recognise Mr Abbott's moves to establish a national awareness campaign, but I cannot ignore the very serious disconnect between the words of this government and some of its actions.

In the past two years, the federal government has levied savage cuts on vital legal and community services that provided support to women escaping family violence. We have seen $270 million cut from community services. There has been $44 million taken from homelessness services when we know that domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness in this country, and $22 million has gone from community legal centres. Also, legal aid has to do its important work with $14 million less. Together these services provide support to enable women to escape family violence.

If the reality of domestic violence for non-Indigenous communities is appalling, it is even worse for Indigenous women. Aboriginal women are six times more likely to be victims of domestic violence than non-Indigenous women. They are also 34 times more likely to be hospitalised as a result of domestic violence than their non-Indigenous counterparts. In this context, the government's decision to cut $534 million from Indigenous programs and front-line services is totally unjustifiable. Without these services, many thousands of women will have the option of escape completely closed off for them. How can a government stand before the Australian people and say that it is committed to addressing this social menace while ripping away funding from the very services that women rely on to escape? How can we encourage women to leave the violence they have been enduring if the safety net we are offering is groaning under the weight of underresourcing and is riddled with holes. If you want evidence of the immense pressure the system is under, just look at the 18,632 calls that went unanswered by the 1800RESPECT phone line, which is manned by the federal Department of Social Services, or consider that 2,800 women fleeing domestic violence are turned away from homelessness services every year.

Not only is it cruel and inhumane to revoke support for domestic violence victims; it is also economically ill-considered. Domestic violence is estimated to cost the economy $13.6 billion a year. This is expected to rise to $15.6 billion by 2021 according to government estimates. Domestic violence accounts for 40 per cent of police time and results in enormous strain on our health and justice system as well as the community sector. We also need to understand that by failing to address the issue now, we are sentencing hundreds of thousands of Australian children to forming their world views through a screen of family violence. We know that exposure to intimate partner violence in childhood creates an increased risk of mental health, behavioural and learning difficulties. We also know that children exposed to violence in the home are more likely to go on to commit or experience violence themselves when they grow up.

Australia needs real, genuine commitment to break this cycle of violence not just strong words. Mr Abbott himself conceded this yesterday in his final speech as Prime Minister when he clearly stated:

Then there's the challenge of ice and domestic violence, yet to be addressed.

In March this year, Labor called on former Prime Minister Abbott to hold a national crisis summit on domestic violence. A summit would bring together parliamentary leaders from all jurisdictions with law enforcement, service providers, experts and survivors to get consensus on urgent judicial and services reform. Again, earlier this month an offer was made in the spirit of genuine commitment to work together with the government to address the issue in a bipartisan manner, but Mr Abbott did not agree to this request. So, today I call on Mr Turnbull to turn the rhetoric of his predecessor into concrete action. Today I call on Mr Turnbull to commit to holding a national crisis summit and working in genuine bipartisanship with Labor to address this very urgent issue affecting our community today. Today I call on Mr Turnbull to restore and to increase that vital funding for community, legal and homelessness services that will assist those who are trying to escape domestic violence in our society.