❓ The Minister outlines the Cook Labor government's reforms and investments in preventing family and domestic violence, including legal reforms, support hubs, refuges, counselling, perpetrator programs, and primary prevention initiatives like respectful relationships education. They also highlight national collaborations and action plans.
AnsweredQoN 534Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE SERVICES
534. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
record on taking action to prevent family and domestic violence.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house of the reforms delivered by this government to
protect those at risk in our community?
(2) Can the
minister update the house on other work to address family and domestic
violence, including work taking place nationally?
VIOLENCE SERVICES
534. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
record on taking action to prevent family and domestic violence.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house of the reforms delivered by this government to
protect those at risk in our community?
(2) Can the
minister update the house on other work to address family and domestic
violence, including work taking place nationally?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank member for Belmont for the question. I acknowledge in this place her
particular interest in this area. I know personally that she often contacts my
ministerial office to advocate not only for vulnerable women and children in
her electorate, but also on behalf of the important community services that are
provided in her community.
Violence against family members or partners
is never acceptable and perpetrators should always be held to account. When we
were first elected, we knew that there was much work to do to address family
and domestic violence. Led by my predecessor, Hon Simone McGurk, we have set
about delivering on our commitments—and much, much more. During our six
years of government, we have seen the first dedicated Minister for Prevention
of Family and Domestic Violence and a record investment of more than $200 million
for the important work of supporting victim–survivors, holding
perpetrators to account and, equally importantly, doing much-needed work in
stopping the violence before it starts. We have also passed significant legal reforms in the prevention of family and domestic
violence to hold perpetrators to account. We have seen incredible
investment in a variety of areas including one-stop hubs, a model that supports
victim–survivors in getting the services they need. We have two new
family and domestic violence hubs in this
budget, and we are delivering new refuges, new counselling services and,
importantly, perpetrator programs.
This
government is the first government to invest in primary prevention, which we
know is a critical aspect of this issue. We need to do early
intervention and support young people to make sure that violence does not occur
in the first place. Respectful relationships is one example of a primary
prevention program that is being rolled out throughout schools and now our
sporting clubs to ensure that have we the conversation that violence against
women and children is unacceptable. The tragic and unacceptable events in the
last few weeks remind us that we all have a role to play in stopping family and
domestic violence. Certainly, the state and commonwealth governments are
committed to working together on this national issue. Of course, at the state
level we have the Path to safety: Western Australia's strategy to
reduce family and domestic violence , which aims to reduce family and
domestic violence between 2020 to 2030. Nationally, members would know that
late last year, The National plan to end violence against women and children 2022–2032 was released. I acknowledge my predecessor Hon Simone
McGurk for her work on that national plan. These action plans are the
important next steps to realise the ambitions that we all have to eliminate
family and domestic violence.
Yesterday I was in Brisbane with my
state counterparts and commonwealth ministers to release two action plans: the First
action plan 2023–2027 and importantly, a standalone
dedicated action plan, the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander action plan 2023–2027 . It was developed by the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory
Committee comprising 16 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders .
Through these plans, Western Australia and the commonwealth, and other states
and territories, have agreed to actions and, importantly, targets aimed at
ending the gender-based violence within a generation. The outcomes framework
includes targets to reduce female victims of intimate partner homicide. The
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander action plan aims to address what we all
know is the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal people as victims of
family and domestic violence. I want to acknowledge everyone who contributed to
those plans, in particular our own Professor Vickie Hovane and Emily Carter who
represented Western Australia on the advisory panel. We all know the incredible
work they do in this space in this state. It was so valuable to have their
representation at the national stage. Of course, the proof is in the doing. The
action plans themselves are important but equally we need to continue to build
awareness around family and domestic violence. In the first six years of
government, we have been very successful in building that awareness in our
community because we know that everybody has a part to play. Whether it is government, community service sectors, families or
individuals, everyone must play their part. Together, we will make sure
that we continue to support the victims of family and domestic violence and hold perpetrators to account but also, more
importantly in our community, make it absolutely clear t hat family and
domestic violence is absolutely and totally unacceptable.
thank member for Belmont for the question. I acknowledge in this place her
particular interest in this area. I know personally that she often contacts my
ministerial office to advocate not only for vulnerable women and children in
her electorate, but also on behalf of the important community services that are
provided in her community.
Violence against family members or partners
is never acceptable and perpetrators should always be held to account. When we
were first elected, we knew that there was much work to do to address family
and domestic violence. Led by my predecessor, Hon Simone McGurk, we have set
about delivering on our commitments—and much, much more. During our six
years of government, we have seen the first dedicated Minister for Prevention
of Family and Domestic Violence and a record investment of more than $200 million
for the important work of supporting victim–survivors, holding
perpetrators to account and, equally importantly, doing much-needed work in
stopping the violence before it starts. We have also passed significant legal reforms in the prevention of family and domestic
violence to hold perpetrators to account. We have seen incredible
investment in a variety of areas including one-stop hubs, a model that supports
victim–survivors in getting the services they need. We have two new
family and domestic violence hubs in this
budget, and we are delivering new refuges, new counselling services and,
importantly, perpetrator programs.
This
government is the first government to invest in primary prevention, which we
know is a critical aspect of this issue. We need to do early
intervention and support young people to make sure that violence does not occur
in the first place. Respectful relationships is one example of a primary
prevention program that is being rolled out throughout schools and now our
sporting clubs to ensure that have we the conversation that violence against
women and children is unacceptable. The tragic and unacceptable events in the
last few weeks remind us that we all have a role to play in stopping family and
domestic violence. Certainly, the state and commonwealth governments are
committed to working together on this national issue. Of course, at the state
level we have the Path to safety: Western Australia's strategy to
reduce family and domestic violence , which aims to reduce family and
domestic violence between 2020 to 2030. Nationally, members would know that
late last year, The National plan to end violence against women and children 2022–2032 was released. I acknowledge my predecessor Hon Simone
McGurk for her work on that national plan. These action plans are the
important next steps to realise the ambitions that we all have to eliminate
family and domestic violence.
Yesterday I was in Brisbane with my
state counterparts and commonwealth ministers to release two action plans: the First
action plan 2023–2027 and importantly, a standalone
dedicated action plan, the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander action plan 2023–2027 . It was developed by the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory
Committee comprising 16 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders .
Through these plans, Western Australia and the commonwealth, and other states
and territories, have agreed to actions and, importantly, targets aimed at
ending the gender-based violence within a generation. The outcomes framework
includes targets to reduce female victims of intimate partner homicide. The
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander action plan aims to address what we all
know is the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal people as victims of
family and domestic violence. I want to acknowledge everyone who contributed to
those plans, in particular our own Professor Vickie Hovane and Emily Carter who
represented Western Australia on the advisory panel. We all know the incredible
work they do in this space in this state. It was so valuable to have their
representation at the national stage. Of course, the proof is in the doing. The
action plans themselves are important but equally we need to continue to build
awareness around family and domestic violence. In the first six years of
government, we have been very successful in building that awareness in our
community because we know that everybody has a part to play. Whether it is government, community service sectors, families or
individuals, everyone must play their part. Together, we will make sure
that we continue to support the victims of family and domestic violence and hold perpetrators to account but also, more
importantly in our community, make it absolutely clear t hat family and
domestic violence is absolutely and totally unacceptable.
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