Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I will first take a moment to acknowledge that today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It marks the beginning of 16 days of activism against gendered violence. This international initiative is not just to raise awareness about the epidemic of gendered violence across the world and here in Australia; it also promotes action against it, encouraging women and men across the world to stand together against violent men. In this country, every four days a man violently murders a woman. In this country, every week, as a result of gendered violence—meaning the actions of men—15 women are hospitalised.

Of course, the data is worse for Aboriginal women. Seventy-one per cent of Indigenous women experience physical violence in their lifetime, with three out of five experiencing that violence at the hands of a male partner. First Nations women are 33 times more likely to be hospitalised because of gendered domestic violence than non-Indigenous women. This is an unacceptable blight on Australian society. This is a widespread problem, and it's shameful that violence against women is as common as it is today.

On Senator McKim's motion, I will make a point which I hope puts the scale of this problem into perspective. While these figures are disturbing to read, when you see just how many women are being hospitalised or murdered at the hands of violent male partners it's so widespread that, in fact, it's not something a single government will be able to do away with on its own. We have a shared goal with all states and territories to end violence against women and children in a generation. It remains an ongoing priority for National Cabinet and all state and federal governments to fight this crisis.

The reality is that this problem is deeper than legislation; it's deeper than government policy. It's an entrenched culture in this country. It is not an epidemic that the government will finish on its own. It's the responsibility of all Australians, particularly men, to reflect and call out their mates' behaviour and their parents' behaviour.

Members might remember that it was the Albanese Labor government which introduced paid family and domestic violence leave for women so they can have the assurance of safety without needing to worry about work. Together with state and territory governments, this government has held two National Cabinet meetings this year on gender based violence, bringing national leaders together under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. It was in that spirit that National Cabinet agreed on the $4.7 billion comprehensive package that harnesses opportunities for cross-governmental cooperation to tackle the crisis of gender based violence, and, through that, it was this government that invested $4 billion in over 113 different initiatives to combat violence against women.

We've invested $3.9 billion for our frontline legal services, which are all too often on the front lines of this violence. There's also our $32 billion plan for more housing, including for people experiencing violence. That's 4,000 new social and affordable homes for women and children impacted by family and domestic violence and $1 billion towards crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Alongside the frontline legal and specialist support investments, we're investing in innovative approaches to better identify and respond to high-risk perpetrators in order to stop violence escalating. We're also looking into the role that systems and harmful industries play in exacerbating violence.

These are all incredible programs and initiatives which will change lives and save lives. They will be a lasting legacy of the Albanese Labor government, and quite rightly. Our government will continue to deliver activities that support action plans under the national plan, working to end gender based violence in Australia, because ending violence against women and children is everybody's responsibility. We all need to get on with the job and work together.

I'm proud of these reforms, as we all should be, but all these programs together will not bring an end to domestic violence. Gender based violence is not something you can legislate out of existence or throw money at. It's cultural. It's a shameful, disgraceful part of Australian culture, but, unfortunately, it's here. The most powerful change that can happen will come from men reflecting and calling out other men. There's no shame in calling out your mates. It's the right thing to do.