Fatima Payman (WA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

The scourge of violence against women is a pervasive issue in our society, with the disturbing and shameful statistic that one woman is killed by her partner every 11 days in this country. Women are more likely to be killed by a partner than by anyone else, making domestic violence an urgent national crisis in need of full funding. We must invest in solutions like women's shelters to provide refuge. We must support cultural change through campaigns like 'Stop it at the Start' and through community outreach. We need to continue to legislate protections such as the 10 days of domestic violence leave. Most importantly, our legal system must be resourced and informed to deal with these problems proactively, preventing harm before it becomes irreversible.

It is not just at home, though, that women are subjected to violence and coercion. While most abuse that workers suffer from, particularly in the retail sector, is verbal, 12 in every 100 workers have reported being physically assaulted by a customer. Sadly, it is not just customers or outsiders who inflict fear and harm. Sometimes it comes from those entrusted with leadership.

In the WA branch of the United Workers Union, of which I am a member, a serious allegation of sexual assault and intimidation has been made against the state secretary, Carolyn Smith. Ms Smith is alleged to have groped a member of her staff and threatened her job if she did not enter into a relationship with her. Despite these allegations now being subject to a lawsuit and an internal investigation, Ms Smith has not stood aside, nor has she been asked to stand aside. This inaction raises profound questions about the culture within the United Workers Union and its capacity to protect and support its own members.

When those in positions of power are allowed to operate without accountability, it sends a chilling message that dissenting voices and cries for justice can be silenced. This is not just a failure of leadership; it is a betrayal of the very values that the union is meant to uphold.

To all the members of the United Workers Union and every worker around Australia: I will stand by you because you deserve better. We owe it to every woman across this nation, to the women who have suffered in silence and to those who have bravely spoken up.