❓ Minister highlights the opening of the Ruah Centre for Women and Children, criticising a Liberal candidate for previously opposing a related application. The centre aims to support victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.
AnsweredQoN 735Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — RUAH CENTRE FOR
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
735. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for
Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment to support
victim–survivors of family and domestic violence.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how the new Ruah Centre for Women and Children, which
opened today, will support those fleeing family and domestic violence?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of anyone who has not supported
this vital project?
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
735. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for
Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment to support
victim–survivors of family and domestic violence.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how the new Ruah Centre for Women and Children, which
opened today, will support those fleeing family and domestic violence?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of anyone who has not supported
this vital project?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for her question and her strong advocacy for the women and
children in the seat of Bicton around safety and issues to do with family and
domestic violence. Today is truly a significant day, with the opening of the
new Ruah Centre for Women and Children. It is absolutely a significant day. It
is a significant day for not only Ruah and
all that it has achieved with this stunning building, but also, of course, the women and children of Perth in terms of
what is available for them now right here in the heart of Perth . I was
so proud to stand alongside the Premier and the Minister for Housing;
Homelessness to announce that the work is
complete and that this nation-first service will open its doors. It is truly a nation-first
facility . The new centre will offer safe accommodation units for women
and children but, importantly, alongside these units—in the same
building, members—will be the wraparound services that we know women
and children need not only to be safe but
for their journey to healing and recovery. The Ruah Centre for Women and
Children will also have a one-stop hub that will include legal supports,
financial supports, counselling and dental services—all the services
and supports that women and children need. Through this service, we know that
up to 600 women and children will find support in the new facility.
I
want to acknowledge the sheer determination and tenacity of Ruah's CEO,
Deb Zanella, and her fantastic team. They have worked tirelessly to get
this service up and running, and it has not been easy for them. The Cook
government is proud to have walked alongside them, backed them in and supported
them with an investment of some $30 million to make their dream come to
fruition.
The
member asked me whether I am aware of anyone who has not supported this
project. It has been tough for Ruah
and the broader community to get this project delivered, and it should not have
had to be this hard . As a former teacher, I would like to take the
opportunity to give members a quick history lesson because it is important that
we have on the record the journey that this centre has had. I ask members to
cast their minds back to February 2022. The Deputy Premier has turned around
because she knows very well what occurred. Members may recall that at the time
Ruah lodged a change-of-use application with the City of Perth to allow it to
move its vital drop-in centre around the corner to a site in James Street to
facilitate the construction of the new centre, which we opened today.
In May that year, the change-of-use
application for the James Street site was refused by Perth councillors,
including the now Liberal candidate for Churchlands. Importantly, it was
refused contrary to the recommendations of the city officers who wanted to
support it. I cannot imagine what was going on in the heads of those
councillors or elected members, particularly when they went against the advice
of the professional administrators of the City of Perth, and why they would
stand in the way of the continuation of much-needed services for victim–survivors.
Not long after it was June 2022, and
the Minister for Planning at the time, who is now the Deputy Premier, was
forced to call in the City of Perth decision and intervene to approve a change-of-use
application. The then planning minister had to intervene to keep this project
on track. Let us be clear, members. Without that
action, Ruah Community Services would have been forced to shut down its drop-in
service. The Cook government was never going to let that happen and our
record is clear.
This is a very privileged position
that we all hold in this place. It is unbelievable that someone who is seeking the privilege of being an elected member
in this place, actively sought to make it as hard as possible for this
centre to open. Every person who seeks to hold public office has a responsibility
to do everything they can to ensure that women and children are safe. While
others are standing in the way of supporting victim–survivors
to recover and heal, the Cook government is focused on doing everything we can
to prevent family and domestic violence and to support women and
children to be safe along their road to healing and recovery. That is what
leadership looks like, members. That is what Western Australians expect of a government.
That is the kind of leadership we expect. The Liberal candidate for Churchlands
has failed that leadership test. In the eyes
of women and children around the state, he has failed that test. By extension ,
it is important to note that the current Leader of the Liberal Party has failed
that test of leadership too when she quietly let it go.
thank the member for her question and her strong advocacy for the women and
children in the seat of Bicton around safety and issues to do with family and
domestic violence. Today is truly a significant day, with the opening of the
new Ruah Centre for Women and Children. It is absolutely a significant day. It
is a significant day for not only Ruah and
all that it has achieved with this stunning building, but also, of course, the women and children of Perth in terms of
what is available for them now right here in the heart of Perth . I was
so proud to stand alongside the Premier and the Minister for Housing;
Homelessness to announce that the work is
complete and that this nation-first service will open its doors. It is truly a nation-first
facility . The new centre will offer safe accommodation units for women
and children but, importantly, alongside these units—in the same
building, members—will be the wraparound services that we know women
and children need not only to be safe but
for their journey to healing and recovery. The Ruah Centre for Women and
Children will also have a one-stop hub that will include legal supports,
financial supports, counselling and dental services—all the services
and supports that women and children need. Through this service, we know that
up to 600 women and children will find support in the new facility.
I
want to acknowledge the sheer determination and tenacity of Ruah's CEO,
Deb Zanella, and her fantastic team. They have worked tirelessly to get
this service up and running, and it has not been easy for them. The Cook
government is proud to have walked alongside them, backed them in and supported
them with an investment of some $30 million to make their dream come to
fruition.
The
member asked me whether I am aware of anyone who has not supported this
project. It has been tough for Ruah
and the broader community to get this project delivered, and it should not have
had to be this hard . As a former teacher, I would like to take the
opportunity to give members a quick history lesson because it is important that
we have on the record the journey that this centre has had. I ask members to
cast their minds back to February 2022. The Deputy Premier has turned around
because she knows very well what occurred. Members may recall that at the time
Ruah lodged a change-of-use application with the City of Perth to allow it to
move its vital drop-in centre around the corner to a site in James Street to
facilitate the construction of the new centre, which we opened today.
In May that year, the change-of-use
application for the James Street site was refused by Perth councillors,
including the now Liberal candidate for Churchlands. Importantly, it was
refused contrary to the recommendations of the city officers who wanted to
support it. I cannot imagine what was going on in the heads of those
councillors or elected members, particularly when they went against the advice
of the professional administrators of the City of Perth, and why they would
stand in the way of the continuation of much-needed services for victim–survivors.
Not long after it was June 2022, and
the Minister for Planning at the time, who is now the Deputy Premier, was
forced to call in the City of Perth decision and intervene to approve a change-of-use
application. The then planning minister had to intervene to keep this project
on track. Let us be clear, members. Without that
action, Ruah Community Services would have been forced to shut down its drop-in
service. The Cook government was never going to let that happen and our
record is clear.
This is a very privileged position
that we all hold in this place. It is unbelievable that someone who is seeking the privilege of being an elected member
in this place, actively sought to make it as hard as possible for this
centre to open. Every person who seeks to hold public office has a responsibility
to do everything they can to ensure that women and children are safe. While
others are standing in the way of supporting victim–survivors
to recover and heal, the Cook government is focused on doing everything we can
to prevent family and domestic violence and to support women and
children to be safe along their road to healing and recovery. That is what
leadership looks like, members. That is what Western Australians expect of a government.
That is the kind of leadership we expect. The Liberal candidate for Churchlands
has failed that leadership test. In the eyes
of women and children around the state, he has failed that test. By extension ,
it is important to note that the current Leader of the Liberal Party has failed
that test of leadership too when she quietly let it go.
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