Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is on 25 November. In my electorate on the Mid North Coast, we have some of the most damning statistics in the country when it comes to family and domestic violence. This is something that, as a community, we need to address. The behaviour that you walk past is the behaviour that you accept. We must not keep walking past behaviours that tear at the fabric of our society.

Yesterday, I took part in the Liberty Coastal Walk Against Domestic Violence in Port Macquarie. It was attended by hundreds of passionate locals showing the strong desire in our community not only to raise awareness but to work towards eradicating this scourge on our society. As a former police officer and prosecutor and now the shadow assistant minister for the prevention of family violence, I am committed to working with all and any organisations, including any political party, to make this happen. This issue is above politics.

I want to thank Liberty Domestic and Family Violence Specialists not just for Sunday's event but for the frontline efforts and support services you provide every single day. I hope that one day we don't need you, but, until then, thank you to all of you.