Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

According to a recent posting, as of 10 September this year, 62 women have died from domestic violence incidents. That is an average of nearly two deaths a week. If the domestic violence deaths of children, males and unsolved missing persons are including, the number would most likely be greater. These figures do not include the daily physical assaults that occur, the cases of violence that are never reported, the number of women living every day in fear of the next physical assault or the trauma of children who not only are assaulted themselves but also frequently witness their mother being assaulted. Sadly, despite years of many well-intended community prevention programs, domestic violence in Australia has reached a crisis point and it touches every community.

Earlier this year, I was told of a local woman in my electorate who had committed suicide in a local park. All indications point to the woman having lived a tormented life in a repressed household and having suffered in silence. This death was possibility not recorded as a domestic violence case. In another case, I was told of a woman who was hospitalised having suffered a stroke as a result of being assaulted by her violent husband. This was not the first time that she had been assaulted by him. Even then, she and other family members were reluctant to involve the police for fear of the possible consequences. Both cases highlight how serious domestic violence is and the level of suffering family members will ensure and still not seek help.

Whether domestic violence is increasing is difficult to know because the statistics that are available do not tell the complete story and never have. Nor is domestic violence confined to a particular sector of society. I do note, however, that in recent years two factors featured frequently in domestic violence incidents. The first is alcohol and drug abuse, which not only changes a person's mental state but makes the offender uncontrollable and perhaps unaware of their actions. The second is the bitterness and anguish arising from marriage breakdowns, messy divorces and child custody battles. Sadly, children sometimes become victims of the bitterness that is caused.

There is no simple solution to domestic violence. Many good people have, over the years, initiated worthwhile programs that I expect have made a difference. The member for Franklin is in the chamber. When she was the responsible minister in the last Labor government, she initiated a range of programs, including the Our Watch program, specifically for this purpose. Nor is domestic violence a matter that police, welfare agencies, courts or governments alone, or even collectively, can resolve. Domestic violence is a whole of community responsibility which we cannot continue to ignore or consider to be someone else's problem.

While there is no easy, obvious solution the Leader of the Opposition has called for a national summit on domestic violence where perhaps the issue can be openly addressed, expert opinions sought and some sensible actions agreed to. If a summit is held and the outcome is that one life is saved, it will have been worthwhile. What I do know is that action is urgently required. (Time expired)