Mark Coulton (Parkes, Deputy-Speaker, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

Before she leaves, I would like to commend the member for Cowan for her contribution. It was very courageous. In Australia, on average, one woman is killed by a partner every 11 days. In 2019, 49 women were killed in a family and domestic violence related incident. An estimated 1.6 million women have experienced violence by a partner since the age of 15. Every single death is one too many. We know that domestic violence against women takes many forms, including coercive control.

The decision to legislate in this area sits with states and territories; however, as a government, we welcome the significant work being undertaken by all jurisdictions to investigate the options for legislative reform for coercive control. The women's safety ministers meeting, co-chaired by the Minister for Women and the Minister for Families and Social Services, will continue to consider the options to legislate with all relevant states and territories at their regular meetings. Over a decade ago, in 2010, all governments around Australia committed to work together on the first National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022. Work has begun on the next national plan, which will commence in 2022, to build on the more than $1 billion invested since 2013.

I reaffirm in this place that violence against women and their children in any form, for whatever reason, has no place in society.

Question agreed to.

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