Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

As I was saying—the national partnerships agreement, which was due to cease on 30 June this year unless we intervened. This is in addition to funding 500 extra community and support workers for women and children experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence. We've made significant funding commitments to the First Nations family safety initiative. We've legislated 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave, which women are now accessing to keep them safe, and we've delivered more than $352 million over two budgets to extend, improve and expand the escaping violence payment.

Of course, this program was left in absolute shambles by the previous government, and our government has been fixing the mess. When we came to government, there was a backlog of more than 4,000 people waiting for their payment to be processed. Wait times of payments were, on average, 33 business days from the date the claim was raised to being dealt with. This was unacceptable. I'm pleased to advise the House that, as at the end of April 2023, victims-survivors are having their claims dealt with within six business days on average. This is making a real difference to people and fixing the mess that those opposite left us.

In 12 months, the Albanese government is delivering on our commitments to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Australians. (Time expired)

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