❓ Mrs Munday asks about the McGowan government's commitment to combating family and domestic violence. The Minister details the 16 Days in WA campaign, investment in domestic violence hubs (including one in the Kimberley), and a separate Aboriginal family safety strategy.
AnsweredQoN 855Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
16
DAYS IN WA TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
855. Mrs L.A. MUNDAY to the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the McGowan
Labor government's unprecedented commitment to combating family and
domestic violence in Western Australia. Can the minister update the
house on this government's record investment in responding to family
and domestic violence in our community and its efforts to promote community
action to address violence against women?
DAYS IN WA TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
855. Mrs L.A. MUNDAY to the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the McGowan
Labor government's unprecedented commitment to combating family and
domestic violence in Western Australia. Can the minister update the
house on this government's record investment in responding to family
and domestic violence in our community and its efforts to promote community
action to address violence against women?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Dawesville
for her question and for her commitment to this campaign. Today marks the beginning
of this year's 16 Days in WA to Stop Violence Against Women campaign.
Today is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against
Women. The campaign will run until 10 December, which is Human Rights Day. The
campaign was introduced by the McGowan government in 2017 and continues to gain
momentum each year as more individuals as well as organisations understand that
they need to get on board and spread the
message that violence against women is never okay. This year's campaign
theme is about being an active bystander. The theme is ''Don't
be silent when you see violence''. It is a clear message: whether in the workplace, in the family or in a community organisation,
wherever people are, we all have a role to play in understanding violence against women and to call out bad behaviour and attitudes that allow
violence to occur. It is about building a community that has zero tolerance for
violence against women. That is what we expect in Western Australia.
Earlier this year during the election campaign, the McGowan
government announced $60 million in election commitments to combat domestic
violence. A range of measures was included in those announcements, including
two new domestic violence hubs, one of which will be in the regions and the
other in the metropolitan area. We had
already announced that the new metropolitan hub would be in Armadale and today
we announced that the second domestic violence hub will be in the
Kimberley. I was pleased to be with the member for Kimberley, along with June Oscar, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Social Justice Commissioner, and the Premier at the Art Gallery of Western Australia when we made that announcement. The hubs will be an easier
place for people experiencing violence to come forward and get assistance. They
will have a range of specialist services working alongside together and sharing
information so that people will have to tell their story only once. I think it
will be particularly welcomed in the
Kimberley. Members can understand that often, despite the amazing efforts by
the police and child protection workers, the people there hold a legacy
of many years past and many people in the Kimberley do not feel comfortable coming forward and reporting
domestic violence to the police or having their cases triaged by child protection workers. The hubs will be an alternative place for people to go to
tell their story and get advice on how they can manage their way to a safer
future.
I thank those Aboriginal leaders who are helping us work in
this area. Another Kimberley woman, Professor Vickie Hovane, has been working
on a separate Aboriginal family safety strategy this year in recognition that
Aboriginal leaders told us that just talking about domestic violence does not
always work for the Aboriginal community and that we must acknowledge cultural
interruptions and the suspicion about the traditional ways of coming forward and talking about domestic violence. We have
commissioned Vickie Hovane to do separate work. I am glad that the federal government has finally accepted that it needs a separate strategy to
examine Aboriginal family safety. That was announced in the paper today. June
Oscar will also lead some of that work.
I look forward to continuing to work with people across the
community. It really has been an honour to work with service providers in particular. They are doing the hard yards and
supporting women and children experiencing family violence. I know that
a number of members are connected with those services in their communities. The
16 Days in WA campaign is an opportunity to reach out to provide leadership, to
educate ourselves, family and friends, and to
get involved in community groups. As I said, people might volunteer or donate,
but it is really about sending the message that we all have a role to
play if we want to change the fundamental attitudes that allow violence against
women to take place. Remember the theme: ''Don't be silent when
you see violence''.
for her question and for her commitment to this campaign. Today marks the beginning
of this year's 16 Days in WA to Stop Violence Against Women campaign.
Today is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against
Women. The campaign will run until 10 December, which is Human Rights Day. The
campaign was introduced by the McGowan government in 2017 and continues to gain
momentum each year as more individuals as well as organisations understand that
they need to get on board and spread the
message that violence against women is never okay. This year's campaign
theme is about being an active bystander. The theme is ''Don't
be silent when you see violence''. It is a clear message: whether in the workplace, in the family or in a community organisation,
wherever people are, we all have a role to play in understanding violence against women and to call out bad behaviour and attitudes that allow
violence to occur. It is about building a community that has zero tolerance for
violence against women. That is what we expect in Western Australia.
Earlier this year during the election campaign, the McGowan
government announced $60 million in election commitments to combat domestic
violence. A range of measures was included in those announcements, including
two new domestic violence hubs, one of which will be in the regions and the
other in the metropolitan area. We had
already announced that the new metropolitan hub would be in Armadale and today
we announced that the second domestic violence hub will be in the
Kimberley. I was pleased to be with the member for Kimberley, along with June Oscar, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Social Justice Commissioner, and the Premier at the Art Gallery of Western Australia when we made that announcement. The hubs will be an easier
place for people experiencing violence to come forward and get assistance. They
will have a range of specialist services working alongside together and sharing
information so that people will have to tell their story only once. I think it
will be particularly welcomed in the
Kimberley. Members can understand that often, despite the amazing efforts by
the police and child protection workers, the people there hold a legacy
of many years past and many people in the Kimberley do not feel comfortable coming forward and reporting
domestic violence to the police or having their cases triaged by child protection workers. The hubs will be an alternative place for people to go to
tell their story and get advice on how they can manage their way to a safer
future.
I thank those Aboriginal leaders who are helping us work in
this area. Another Kimberley woman, Professor Vickie Hovane, has been working
on a separate Aboriginal family safety strategy this year in recognition that
Aboriginal leaders told us that just talking about domestic violence does not
always work for the Aboriginal community and that we must acknowledge cultural
interruptions and the suspicion about the traditional ways of coming forward and talking about domestic violence. We have
commissioned Vickie Hovane to do separate work. I am glad that the federal government has finally accepted that it needs a separate strategy to
examine Aboriginal family safety. That was announced in the paper today. June
Oscar will also lead some of that work.
I look forward to continuing to work with people across the
community. It really has been an honour to work with service providers in particular. They are doing the hard yards and
supporting women and children experiencing family violence. I know that
a number of members are connected with those services in their communities. The
16 Days in WA campaign is an opportunity to reach out to provide leadership, to
educate ourselves, family and friends, and to
get involved in community groups. As I said, people might volunteer or donate,
but it is really about sending the message that we all have a role to
play if we want to change the fundamental attitudes that allow violence against
women to take place. Remember the theme: ''Don't be silent when
you see violence''.
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