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

Every parliamentarian in this place stands united in ending the scourge of family violence; however, poor delivery, doublespeak and hypocrisy on addressing the issue—rightly, though—must elicit a different response. The Albanese Labor government's recent announcement last week of $4.4 billion to address Australia's family violence epidemic has a respected, long-time contributor in the sector expressing deep distress, disappointment, frustration and betrayal. The poor delivery of the election promise of 500 new frontline and community workers is one thing, but your government's response to the rapid review has turned the heat up.

The rapid review acknowledged gender based violence as an ongoing priority and the need for significant funding uplift in certain frontline areas, but No to Violence CEO Phillip Ripper calls out your response to that review as—wait for it—'smoke and mirrors'. The announcement, he says, conflates two separate national partnership agreements: one on domestic, family and sexual violence responses and one on justice. As a key sector contributor, Mr Ripper is calling your announcement a cut of 12.5 per cent in funding for frontline services when inflation is considered and saying that it is not specific to frontline services addressing violence. In fact, it appears that in real terms, with inflation and the ever-increasing violence in our communities, demand for your funding has actually gone backwards.

It is not clear what your announcement means in practice, how much funding there is, who is getting it nor when. Despite the current epidemic, the response won't be known until 1 July next year. We look forward to the detail, as the sector waits more than nine months for the money—hardly a rapid response to this current epidemic!