Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In recent times, federal governments have called royal commissions into veteran suicide, aged care, antisemitism and social cohesion. Last year, the Prime Minister said Australia faced a domestic violence crisis, with one woman being killed every four days. Will the government elevate the safety of women and children to the same level of urgency and attention by calling a royal commission into femicide and domestic violence?

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Warringah for her question. I know the members for Warringah, for Kooyong and for Mackellar have written to the Prime Minister in similar terms, and I absolutely understand where they're coming from and the intent of their letter and this question. The government absolutely agrees with the urgency of the issues that the member for Warringah is raising.

But the truth is—and frontline workers will tell you this—we don't need another royal commission to tell us what's happening with the deaths of women in Australia and what we need to do. In fact, frontline workers have been very clear that they don't want another report; they want the implementation of the work that we're doing right now. Last year, the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner's annual report to parliament pointed out that we have a thousand recommendations from at least eight major royal commissions, inquiries and reviews. Most recently, we had the rapid review that the National Cabinet commissioned at the behest of the Prime Minister and the premiers. We're implementing that work right now. We've had the South Australian royal commission most recently, the NT coronial inquest, many parliamentary inquiries and the Victorian royal commission. We need to get on with the work of implementing these recommendations, and we are. Right now, there are 583 initiatives happening around the country—122 of those are Commonwealth led. They're being reported on publicly.

Every family violence peak body in this country released a statement that said 'royal commissions have an important role in the Australian system, including gathering evidence when we have no other way to get to the root of a problem'. That is not the situation here. The evidence is clear. We know what needs to be done to prevent, respond to and help people heal from family violence. That's why this government has invested $4 billion in those 122 initiatives that I spoke about a minute ago. It's why we're working so closely with the states and territories, which are responsible for policing, for courts, for the justice system and for the day-to-day operation of domestic violence refuges, and it's why we're about to start the consultation on the second action plan of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. That will be a very important opportunity to say what comes next in the implementation of these recommendations. The member for Warringah and other members will have the opportunity to make contributions at that time. Frontline workers will absolutely be a part of designing that second action plan, as will victims and survivors of family, domestic and sexual violence.

We agree with you, the member for Warringah and the members for Kooyong and Mackellar, about the urgency of this, and I would say that every member of parliament agrees with the urgency, but we don't need more reports. We need to focus on the actions that will make a difference.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister's time has concluded. Leader of the Opposition, to associate your remarks with the minister, yes, you may proceed on indulgence.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister referenced all members of this House, and I know that all members of this House are committed to acting on domestic and family violence. I would just remind the minister and the Prime Minister of her commitment to 500 frontline domestic violence workers during the last term of parliament. At some point, if she could update the House—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. I reminded the Leader of the Opposition during the last sitting of parliament not to abuse—

Order! The minister will cease interjecting. I reminded the Leader of the Opposition not to abuse the issue of indulgence, and I was crystal clear in my explanation before. She's clearly ignoring my rulings and my advice now. Indulgence is something I grant to the Leader of the Opposition on behalf of the House. I'm going to ask you again not to abuse when I grant indulgence. I was specific that your remarks were to be associated with the minister, and you ignored me on that. Not only is it completely disrespectful to me, but it's disrespectful to the House.