Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is, I believe, to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Minister McAllister, but I'm also happy if Minister Gallagher thinks it's more in her patch. There have been now at least 45 women murdered this year, and the rates of violence against women are increasing. The women's safety sector has repeatedly called for $1 billion each year for frontline services, including legal services, to ensure that no-one who seeks help has to be turned away and go back to violence. Today, the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner warned that the women's safety sector is already buckling, and she said that, when there's an increase in reporting, frontline services need more support to meet increased demand. When will the Albanese government commit $1 billion per year to properly resource frontline services?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know that too many women are killed by their current or former intimate partner. The AIC's latest data update indicates that there were 43 female victims of intimate-partner homicide in 2023-24. It's a pretty stark reminder of the human cost of this violence and it is why the government is deeply committed to addressing this national crisis. In the two years since coming to government, we have taken the crisis of men's violence against women seriously, through a range of measures including the introduction of paid family and domestic violence leave.

You ask about funding. Funding in the 2024-25 budget brings government investment to over $3.4 billion to support women's safety and implement the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. That plan was developed in partnership with the sector and with victims-survivors and was agreed with all states and territories. That funding brings together the investments that we have made across our budgets in support of the national plan. We've been focused on supporting economic security so women don't have to choose between poverty and violence. We've been investing in housing so women know they have a place to go. We have been strengthening the legal system's response to gendered violence, implementing all of the 55 Respect@Work changes and putting a positive duty in the Sex Discrimination Act to prevent sexual harassment. We have been working with the states and territories to fund frontline services. We've extended the national partnership on frontline service funding and provided funding to states for 500 more frontline service workers, and we are sharpening the focus on prevention so we can end violence in a generation.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Waters, a first supplementary?

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the commissioner said in her address, First Nations women are 33 times more likely to be hospitalised and six times more likely to die as a result of violence. Will the government commit to working with First Nations communities to develop an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander violence prevention framework for men and boys, as my colleague Senator Cox recommended in her additional comments in the inquiry report into missing and murdered First Nations women?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government appreciates greatly the work that has been done through the committee that Senator Cox contributed to with such distinction and that I understand was chaired by Senator Scarr. We appreciate that the statistics and experiences of First Nations women in relation to violence are unacceptable and need to be addressed. It's on that basis that an action plan has been developed and agreed with First Nations women as part of the national plan to end violence against women. The government has a continuing commitment to work with First Nations women to improve this in a collaborative way that meets their needs and their priorities.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Waters, a second supplementary?

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The commissioner also said today that sexual violence is often left out of the conversation, and yet there's been an 11 per cent increase in sexual violence in the last year. Will the government commit to increasing funding, specifically for sexual violence services? And can you please answer this question? One out of three is better than none.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No woman or girl should have to experience sexual violence in their life, and the government is leading national efforts to prevent sexual violence and support the victims-survivors who experience it. We are partnering with states and territories to strengthen and harmonise the laws in relation to sexual assault and consent, and we're providing $14.7 million in the 2023-24 budget to strengthen how the criminal justice system responds to sexual assault. We are funding an Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence, and that's due to report at the beginning of next year. A lived-experience expert advisory group comprising victims-survivors and their advocates has been established to ensure that victims-survivors—

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order: I am sorry, but I ask these questions because I actually do want to know the answer. I appreciate the context, but I do already know all of that.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the point of order, Senator Waters?

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question was: will you commit to increasing funding specifically for sexual violence services?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I believe the minister is being relevant, and I will listen carefully to the remainder of the answer.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are increasing funding to services for women who experience sexual violence, and we are progressing important reforms, particularly in the criminal justice system so that the experience of complainants can improve. (Time expired)