Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to quickly speak about an issue in Australian society that affects many people around the country—that is, the issue of domestic violence against women and children. I recently held a fundraiser in my electorate to raise money for Redcliffe's Zonta, where Senator Michaelia Cash came and spoke along with 200 local men and women from the Petrie electorate. We raised approximately $3,000.

Today I was talking to Senator Barry O'Sullivan, a Queensland senator who, before he came to the other place, was a police officer of 16 years and saw firsthand children experience violence on a daily and weekly basis in the most horrific circumstances. I would encourage members here on both sides of the House and in the other place to talk to Senator O'Sullivan if you would like some real-life experiences that he encountered whilst he was a police officer.

I do, of course, also want to mention that this weekend the Sandgate and Bracken Ridge Action Group will be holding a peaceful walk at Keogh Street, Sandgate that will go through to Einbunpin Lagoon. Interested people in the community can come along and raise support around this very important issue.

Finally, I want to say that all members in this place on both sides of the House want to work together to ensure that domestic violence throughout Australia is eliminated. I want to thank those men that are looking after their families, that are loving their wives and doing the right thing in raising their families in this area.