❓ Mrs. Stojkovski questions the Minister about outcomes from national summits on violence against women and funding for the 'Keeping Women Safe in their Homes' program. The Minister expresses concern over the federal government's lack of commitment to funding the program.
AnsweredQoN 744Legislative Assembly
Asked
10 October 2018
Member
Portfolio
Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence
QuestionView source ↗
KEEPING WOMEN SAFE IN
THEIR HOMES PROGRAM
744. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting those affected by family and
domestic violence.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the outcomes of the recent Council of Australian
Governments national summit on reducing violence against women and the meeting
of women's safety ministers?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house on whether the commonwealth has agreed to continue to
fund the vital Keeping Women Safe in their Homes program.
THEIR HOMES PROGRAM
744. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting those affected by family and
domestic violence.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the outcomes of the recent Council of Australian
Governments national summit on reducing violence against women and the meeting
of women's safety ministers?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house on whether the commonwealth has agreed to continue to
fund the vital Keeping Women Safe in their Homes program.
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) This
is a good question. Members might be aware that last week—it was to
coincide with the Council of Australian Governments meeting—the women's
safety ministers met in Adelaide as part of a summit on reducing violence
against women, which was working to develop the fourth action plan to combat
domestic violence in this country. We are just coming to the end of the third
action plan. It was a constructive meeting and there is no doubt that it was
good to meet with other ministers to look at the best practices and innovative
programs that are taking place in other states. That was all constructive. A little
more concerning, however, was the response from the federal government from
both the federal Minister for Women, Kelly O'Dwyer, and the Minister
for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher, about whether any resources
would be attached to that fourth action plan. Our focus is drawn to the fact
that the funding we got from the last action plan is coming to an end. At the
end of this month, the funding that was attached to a program called Keeping
Women Safe in their Homes will come to an end. That program, for just under
$1.5 million—not a lot of money—kept over 750 women safe over
13 months. Instead of them having to relocate with their children and go to a refuge,
a risk assessment could be done and they could stay in their homes. The kids
could keep going to school and people could keep going to work, if they were
working. They could stay connected with their families and networks. The
perpetrators had to move out. It was a really positive intervention. Members
may have seen in The West Australian today a woman called Crystal, who
was brave enough and good enough to come forward and be part of a photo with
Anne Moore from the Women's Council Domestic and Family Violence
Services to talk about her experience and say that she benefited. It is
fantastic that five years after she experienced significant domestic violence
from her partner—her partner was jailed and it was pretty horrendous to
hear what she had been through—she and her three children are doing
really well. That is a practical outcome of this program, but at the end of
this month the federal government funding for that program will come to an end.
That is not acceptable. We will continue to campaign. The federal government
can say that it is against domestic violence and that it is concerned about the
safety of women, but it has to match sentiment with resources. It has to put
some money on the table. At the end of this month, when those programs come to
an end, I have asked my department to make sure that people are not laid off
and that we can keep people employed in those programs. I am not interested in
propping up the federal government when it is not coming forward with the
goods. If we can find extra money, I want that to be in addition to what we are
doing now. We will continue to campaign and say that women should be kept safe
in their homes and the state government has an important role to play to make
sure that occurs.
is a good question. Members might be aware that last week—it was to
coincide with the Council of Australian Governments meeting—the women's
safety ministers met in Adelaide as part of a summit on reducing violence
against women, which was working to develop the fourth action plan to combat
domestic violence in this country. We are just coming to the end of the third
action plan. It was a constructive meeting and there is no doubt that it was
good to meet with other ministers to look at the best practices and innovative
programs that are taking place in other states. That was all constructive. A little
more concerning, however, was the response from the federal government from
both the federal Minister for Women, Kelly O'Dwyer, and the Minister
for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher, about whether any resources
would be attached to that fourth action plan. Our focus is drawn to the fact
that the funding we got from the last action plan is coming to an end. At the
end of this month, the funding that was attached to a program called Keeping
Women Safe in their Homes will come to an end. That program, for just under
$1.5 million—not a lot of money—kept over 750 women safe over
13 months. Instead of them having to relocate with their children and go to a refuge,
a risk assessment could be done and they could stay in their homes. The kids
could keep going to school and people could keep going to work, if they were
working. They could stay connected with their families and networks. The
perpetrators had to move out. It was a really positive intervention. Members
may have seen in The West Australian today a woman called Crystal, who
was brave enough and good enough to come forward and be part of a photo with
Anne Moore from the Women's Council Domestic and Family Violence
Services to talk about her experience and say that she benefited. It is
fantastic that five years after she experienced significant domestic violence
from her partner—her partner was jailed and it was pretty horrendous to
hear what she had been through—she and her three children are doing
really well. That is a practical outcome of this program, but at the end of
this month the federal government funding for that program will come to an end.
That is not acceptable. We will continue to campaign. The federal government
can say that it is against domestic violence and that it is concerned about the
safety of women, but it has to match sentiment with resources. It has to put
some money on the table. At the end of this month, when those programs come to
an end, I have asked my department to make sure that people are not laid off
and that we can keep people employed in those programs. I am not interested in
propping up the federal government when it is not coming forward with the
goods. If we can find extra money, I want that to be in addition to what we are
doing now. We will continue to campaign and say that women should be kept safe
in their homes and the state government has an important role to play to make
sure that occurs.
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