Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senators, we are at our best when we speak from the heart and we speak about domestic violence. I want to say how moved I've been today by the contributions thus far about one of the most uncomfortable of topics. It is, in fact, one of the most important topics, where we can actually demonstrate to the community that it is a topic that affects each and every one of us in our communities, because there's no discrimination when it comes to domestic violence, and if you've never walked the walk, it's not so easy to talk the truth.

We in our society need to educate the men and the women, the girls and the boys about respect—and respect for one another. That's why I'm proud to be in the Senate today: it does demonstrate that, as senators, we can be respectful to each other and listen to one another when we're talking about a topic that has touched too many of us and our families. In Australia, on average, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner. One in three Australian women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by a man they know. One in four Australian women has experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by a current or former intimate partner since age 15.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world. But we in our own communities should be the leaders. We should speak up. As many here have acknowledged, community leaders and people in this place, the other place and state parliaments have the aim, as one of their main aims as public figures, of changing the attitudes of too many who turn a blind eye to what is happening to their neighbours and families and, in fact, what is happening in their own homes. We need to be open. We need to show compassion in relation to domestic violence. Too often, when a woman is in a violent situation, people ask, 'Why doesn't she just leave?' What we should be asking is, 'Who could she turn to and where will she go?' We need to remove the burden from victims and provide an opportunity for them to have a safe place to land. It takes enormous courage for a woman to pack up her children and leave a violent situation.

I'm proud of the Albanese Labor government because we are acting, and I know from the debate today that we have the support of those who have spoken and those who won't get the opportunity to speak today. Women who escape this violent, intense situation need to have somewhere to go. We need to provide affordable housing for these women and children. If you're a child raised in a home where there is domestic violence and coercion, you're more likely to stay in that type of relationship in adulthood. We must break down the barriers.

It has been fantastic to have some of our male senators make a contribution today and to hear that they have been educated by not only women in this chamber but also in the other place and by leaders in our community. It's a huge task and we know it's huge, but we have to start. Domestic violence is everyone's business, not just those in this chamber. It's not the police force that has to enforce the law. It is the responsibility of all of us. That's why we have to encourage men in the community to step in and tell their mates, 'That's enough. You're going too far.'

Whatever circumstances you're in, every young girl, every young boy, every male and every female deserves to be treated with respect and protected from any type of violence in this country—because one death is one too many.