Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I will just make a brief contribution to explain the Greens' position on this amendment. Throughout the inquiry into this bill we heard from experts and advocates for victim-survivors about the importance of workplace cultures where employees felt safe to disclose abuse. Dedicated family and domestic violence leave is an important component of building that workplace culture and the associated support. In our view, calling it 'emergency leave' just reinforces the idea that family and domestic violence is something that should be hidden.

We've continued to push for measures to remove barriers to victim-survivors accessing leave and to protect the confidentiality of any information provided. I'm pleased that earlier in the committee stage of this bill, we passed an amendment which ensures that the payslip need not record the fact that it is family and domestic violence leave that is the source of the payment. We strongly support that amendment because, of course, any such mention of that could be a red flag to a perpetrator, who may well be having a look at their partner's or former partner's payslip. So in our minds that notion of privacy and protection has been upheld with that amendment, which we supported. But we still need that cultural change. If we don't start calling what we are facing what it is, a sheer epidemic of violence against women in this country, we won't change anything. That's why we strongly support continuing to call this leave family and domestic violence leave.

It's important to show employees that employers will recognise the significance of family and domestic violence and that they understand its complex impact, and that support is available. Without societywide efforts to break down the stigma of disclosing abuse, too many people will remain in dangerous situations. So, whilst we have some sympathy for the sentiments, for the reasons I've just outlined we won't be supporting this particular amendment.