Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today in grief and horror—enraged, sad and despondent—but also determined that my time here and our time here will see us make a difference to the disastrous statistics and the absolutely appalling week that we have had in this country around domestic violence.

Two women and four children have been lost in the past five days. In 2017, 53 women lost their lives to someone who purported to have loved them. In 2018 it was 63 women and in 2019 it was 61 women. In Victoria we had a royal commission into domestic violence led by my good friend Fiona Richardson, and I am desperately sad today to see that we are still in the same damned place.

Love is not possession! Marriage is not ownership, and children are a precious gift. They are not a commodity. They are not pawns in adult games! I speak for everyone sitting around me today by saying that we are in loss, but we are determined—determined!—to move this ship on.

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