Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Lazarus, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the continuing number of domestic violence attacks against women remains unacceptably high, and expresses great sadness at the spate of fatal domestic violence attacks on women in Queensland over the past week, and

(ii) on average, one woman loses her life as a result of intimate partner violence each week in Australia;

(b) re-affirms that domestic violence against women has no place in Australia;

(c) welcomes the Queensland State Government’s announcement that it will establish an ‘Implementation Council for domestic violence reforms’, to be chaired by Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO, to enhance the ability of Queensland police officers to offer support and respond to complaints of domestic violence to ensure that women affected by domestic violence receive priority assistance;

(d) acknowledges that the Council of Australian Governments agreed to take urgent collective action in April 2015 to reduce the amount of violence perpetrated against women, after having endorsed the 2011 National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022;

(e) urges the Government and state and territory governments to prioritise the issue of domestic violence and act urgently to investigate and implement strategies to support and protect women from the scourge of domestic violence; and

(f) calls on the Government and state and territory governments to urgently work together to:

(i) investigate the establishment of a national domestic violence register to enable the national management and monitoring of domestic violence offenders across all state and territory borders,

(ii) increase criminal penalties for offences committed by perpetrators of domestic violence, including the breach of domestic violence orders by perpetrators of domestic violence, and

(iii) support the concept of a national domestic violence against women summit to bring all governments, stakeholders and support organisations together to develop and implement effective strategies and programs to increase support for women, raise awareness of domestic violence, and eliminate the occurrence of domestic violence against women.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is the government's clear position that women and children in Australia should be safe at home, safe on the streets and safe online. I believe everybody in this place can agree that domestic and family violence does not have a place in Australia. After the events in Queensland last week and knowing that there are incidents of violence against women and their children that go unreported, enough is enough. The government has been showing unprecedented leadership on this issue. Addressing domestic and family violence is a national priority and that is why we have elevated the issue to the Council of Australian Governments for discussion in 2015. As a part of this important agenda, COAG have agreed to implement a national domestic violence order scheme and national perpetrator standards, and to address technology-facilitated abuse. State and territories are key in delivering outcomes as is appropriate. The Queensland government, for example, have announced that they are looking to increase penalties for breaking domestic violence orders. As part of the evaluation of the second action plan and the development of the third action plan under the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their children, we will be conducting wide-ranging consultations to inform our way forward as a nation.

Question agreed to.