Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Hansard source

There have been more than 60 women killed in violence this year. We know that even more women live with near-death experiences every single day. Today's findings, expected to be handed down in the Northern Territory coroner's inquiry into the deaths of four Aboriginal women, will no doubt highlight many issues. It will sadly tell us what we already know. Each of those four women died at the hands of partners who were known to police and had a history of violence. In other words, those tragedies could have been prevented. Sadly, people who love them stayed silent, felt hopeless and helpless or didn't even know it was happening. This means most cases of family and domestic violence go unreported.

As we mark White Ribbon Day and the start of 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the severity of family and domestic violence in Australia cannot be underestimated or understated. Every four minutes in Australia, a call is made to police for help. In some parts of the nation, a restraining order is breached every 44 minutes. The numbers are worse everywhere. The Northern Territory has one of the worst rates of family and domestic violence. Eight Territory women have allegedly been killed at the hands of their partners since 1 June—four in the Big Rivers region around Katherine.

Western Australia is on track for 2024 to be the worst year for family and domestic violence offences on record, Senator Cash. In my home state of South Australia, police data shows a 15 per cent increase in family and domestic violence offences in the year to August. Caught in this growing epidemic are children who will carry the scars for a lifetime. Reduced social skills, poor school performance, impaired language ability, a higher likelihood of criminal offending and negative physical and mental health outcomes are among the many outcomes for children who experience any type of neglect or abuse.

Family violence is the most common contributor to children entering the child protection system. It affected more than half of the 45,000-plus children in out-of-home care on 30 June last year. They are all too often the forgotten voice in the family and domestic violence response. For the taxpayer, out-of-home care is a heavy burden, with the cost of residential care up to $1.1 million per child per year. This government's so-called independent review of the removal of the cashless debit card did not give a single voice to a child about what has happened to them since the card was removed. In 2015-16, it was estimated the cost was two per cent of the national GDP. In 2024 terms, that's an estimated $32 billion a year lost to family and domestic violence. However, the issue is not isolated to one state or one territory.

Let's start with the countless hours I've spent in this place calling out the failed rollout of the 500-worker initiative. The government's election promise was for 352 workers on the ground by 30 June. At 31 October, there were just 336—far short of the 500 promised as part of that election commitment. Crucial funding the sector badly needs is now being delayed until after the federal election, probably to protect Labor's bottom line. Frontline services want help now, not from 1 July. Community legal services want help now so that they can stop turning away 1,000 people per day. The sector knows where the money is needed, the sector knows how to use the money for better outcomes and the sector knows they need the money. Prevention must be given greater focus, and the solution must, of course, include men. State and territory governments must step up instead of stepping back and expecting the federal government to do the work.

The 16 Days of Activism should spark conversations within communities, around dining tables, on social media and in the workplace. I urge the government to act on its rapid review with rapid action in finalising its federal funding agreements and getting money to services that need it now, not after the next federal election. We are on a unity ticket about responding to violence, but that's not at the expense of calling out inaction, doubletalk, and, of course, underdelivery by the Albanese Labor government.