Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Imagine this: you're a parent of a teenage son, or a son in their early 20s, and they say they're going out on a Friday or Saturday night. They say goodbye, and you say, 'Be careful when you're going out with your mates.' Then, in the early hours of the morning, you get a knock on the door from the police to pass on the sad news that your son has been killed in a fight. Then you eventually find out it's because of what's known as a coward's punch. As a veteran police officer, I've seen firsthand the damage caused to the victims and the families of the victims of the coward's punch. In fatal cases it's so heartbreaking for the parents, the friends and the families.

Coward's punch assaults have claimed at least a hundred lives across Australia in the last 15 years. Can I make the point that it's not a king hit; it's a coward's punch. I was very proud to join a fundraiser and be part of the government's commitment of $750,000 to support the incredible work of boxing legend Danny Green and his Stop the Coward's Punch Campaign. This campaign is designed as a national awareness campaign about the dangers of the coward's punch. The campaign has a very impressive digital marketing strategy, along with billboard and television adverts which are targeted towards young people, especially 14-year-old to 35-year-old males, who are the most at risk, with research showing that up to 99 per cent of these attacks were committed by men, with 49 per cent of them aged between 18 and 23.

Danny has some hot tips, and they are: first of all, walk away from conflict—you have a choice. Drink responsibly and know your limits. Stay alert and stay in well-lit public places with good security. Use your common sense. Assess venues and leave when they become too rowdy or risky. Report any aggressive or suspicious behaviour to security or authorities. Take care of your friends and remove your friends from potential conflict situations before they develop. Know when to stop—call it a night and go home. Agitated? Breathe and calm yourself down. It's just not worth it.

Can I say a big congratulations to Danny Green. He's a legendary, world champion boxer—a three-time world champion—and it's great to have someone like this, a tough guy, leading the campaign to call out the coward's punch. Well done, Danny, and well done to all his supporters. Can I say that we're right behind you to target and attack the coward's punch.