❓ Question on government's approach to addressing attitudes contributing to family and domestic violence. Answer details funding, campaigns focusing on men and boys, and addresses disrespectful behaviour in parliament.
AnsweredQoN 629Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Family and domestic violence
629. Ms Sook Yee Lai to
the Minister for Prevention of Family and
Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to building safe and inclusive communities. How
is the government addressing attitudes towards women that contribute to family
and domestic violence?
629. Ms Sook Yee Lai to
the Minister for Prevention of Family and
Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to building safe and inclusive communities. How
is the government addressing attitudes towards women that contribute to family
and domestic violence?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for the question and for being a strong female leader in our community.
Preventing and responding to FDV and keeping women and children safe remains a
key priority of the Cook Labor government, with $564 million of new funding
committed since 2017. Our annual campaign against family and domestic violence
is less than two weeks away, and this year I made the decision to focus on men
and boys for the first time. This decision was warmly received by everyone in
the sector, because we know the whole community, including men and boys, have a
powerful role to play in building a community in which men, women, boys and
girls feel safe, valued and respected. This is not about demonising men and
boys, but it does recognise that we will never be able to put an end to family
and domestic violence without strong, positive male leadership. We have that
leadership, Mr Speaker, with our agents of change. The agents include Fremantle
Dockers captain, Alex Pearce; West Coast Eagles defender Tom Cole; youth
advocate Daniel Principe; Australian Medical Association (WA) president, Kyle
Hoath; Perth Scorchers player Aaron Hardie; and many, many more.
I would also like to
take this moment to thank the Minister for Police for his unequivocal support
last night of women and children—his support of me and his calling out of
disrespectful behaviour and the act of the Leader of the Opposition when he closed
a women's shelter. This is the leadership, Mr Speaker, that I would expect from
all elected members of this Parliament, but, instead, last night, during a very
important debate on community safety, I was referred to as a stupid minister by
a member of the opposition. The member then refused, Mr Speaker, to withdraw
and argued with a female—
Withdrawal of remark
Mr Shane Love: I do not believe that such an
accusation is able to be made except immediately upon the so-called insult
being incurred. I would like your ruling on that.
The Speaker: Thank you, Leader of the Nationals WA. Minister,
what was actually said was heard by the Acting Speaker, so I ask you to
withdraw that part of your comment. It is being reported in the media today,
but I do not know the accuracy of it, so if you could just withdraw that,
please.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: I withdraw that I was not the
one who heard what he said, Mr Speaker.
The Speaker: Minister, no qualification is required—just
withdraw, please.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: I withdraw.
The Speaker: Thank you.
Questions without notice resumed
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: But we should not be surprised
by members of the opposition. The Liberal and National Parties have long had a
problem with women. Last night, I called out the behaviour, and today, again, I
am calling it out, because I cannot ask men and boys in our community to call
out disrespectful behaviour if I am not willing to do it myself. If that is what
happens in this chamber of Parliament, if that is what happens here, what
should we expect to happen in the wider community? I stand here as a female
minister, as the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, as a
woman with power, and as a mother to a son and a teenage daughter. A teenage
daughter, Mr Speaker, as you know, was in your gallery last night along with
eight of her friends and saw what happened. I am proud that she saw me stand up
for myself and she saw me call out that disrespect because I know that there
are many women and children who cannot do this. My husband and I are raising a
strong woman—a kind woman. We are also raising a kind and empathetic
son. They are our future and I am hopeful that they will grow up in a world in
which men and women are truly equal, and violence against women and children
has been stamped out.
The National and Liberal Party leaders need to pay
attention to how the boys in their caucus are behaving, and they need to
call it out so that we do not have to, because not all disrespect ends with
violence, but all violence begins with disrespect. I am looking forward, Mr
Speaker, to this year's 16 Days in WA campaign, and I call on my colleagues in
this house to rise to the occasion and do better.
The Speaker: The member for Kalamunda with the final
question.
for the question and for being a strong female leader in our community.
Preventing and responding to FDV and keeping women and children safe remains a
key priority of the Cook Labor government, with $564 million of new funding
committed since 2017. Our annual campaign against family and domestic violence
is less than two weeks away, and this year I made the decision to focus on men
and boys for the first time. This decision was warmly received by everyone in
the sector, because we know the whole community, including men and boys, have a
powerful role to play in building a community in which men, women, boys and
girls feel safe, valued and respected. This is not about demonising men and
boys, but it does recognise that we will never be able to put an end to family
and domestic violence without strong, positive male leadership. We have that
leadership, Mr Speaker, with our agents of change. The agents include Fremantle
Dockers captain, Alex Pearce; West Coast Eagles defender Tom Cole; youth
advocate Daniel Principe; Australian Medical Association (WA) president, Kyle
Hoath; Perth Scorchers player Aaron Hardie; and many, many more.
I would also like to
take this moment to thank the Minister for Police for his unequivocal support
last night of women and children—his support of me and his calling out of
disrespectful behaviour and the act of the Leader of the Opposition when he closed
a women's shelter. This is the leadership, Mr Speaker, that I would expect from
all elected members of this Parliament, but, instead, last night, during a very
important debate on community safety, I was referred to as a stupid minister by
a member of the opposition. The member then refused, Mr Speaker, to withdraw
and argued with a female—
Withdrawal of remark
Mr Shane Love: I do not believe that such an
accusation is able to be made except immediately upon the so-called insult
being incurred. I would like your ruling on that.
The Speaker: Thank you, Leader of the Nationals WA. Minister,
what was actually said was heard by the Acting Speaker, so I ask you to
withdraw that part of your comment. It is being reported in the media today,
but I do not know the accuracy of it, so if you could just withdraw that,
please.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: I withdraw that I was not the
one who heard what he said, Mr Speaker.
The Speaker: Minister, no qualification is required—just
withdraw, please.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: I withdraw.
The Speaker: Thank you.
Questions without notice resumed
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: But we should not be surprised
by members of the opposition. The Liberal and National Parties have long had a
problem with women. Last night, I called out the behaviour, and today, again, I
am calling it out, because I cannot ask men and boys in our community to call
out disrespectful behaviour if I am not willing to do it myself. If that is what
happens in this chamber of Parliament, if that is what happens here, what
should we expect to happen in the wider community? I stand here as a female
minister, as the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, as a
woman with power, and as a mother to a son and a teenage daughter. A teenage
daughter, Mr Speaker, as you know, was in your gallery last night along with
eight of her friends and saw what happened. I am proud that she saw me stand up
for myself and she saw me call out that disrespect because I know that there
are many women and children who cannot do this. My husband and I are raising a
strong woman—a kind woman. We are also raising a kind and empathetic
son. They are our future and I am hopeful that they will grow up in a world in
which men and women are truly equal, and violence against women and children
has been stamped out.
The National and Liberal Party leaders need to pay
attention to how the boys in their caucus are behaving, and they need to
call it out so that we do not have to, because not all disrespect ends with
violence, but all violence begins with disrespect. I am looking forward, Mr
Speaker, to this year's 16 Days in WA campaign, and I call on my colleagues in
this house to rise to the occasion and do better.
The Speaker: The member for Kalamunda with the final
question.
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