Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of the answers to questions today to the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Payne. Today, I believe, is a sad indictment of women that the Queensland Liberal National Party are actually holding their International Women's Day breakfast tomorrow at the men's Tattersalls club. It is unbelievable. What it does say is the attitude of the coalition towards women is that they will only meet with women on their own turf. It is extraordinary. And they expect women to be grateful. I do not know, maybe some women in the LNP think that being allowed into a men's club for breakfast is an honour. I do not think so. And that is what the Prime Minister says. It is not an honour; it is plain chauvinistic.

I do not mind if you support the LNP; that is fine, many strong women do. I say to women who are thinking of attending this event that International Women's Day is not about politics. As my colleague Senator Ludwig said, the theme of the 2015 International Women's Day is 'Make It Happen'. You can actually support this event by not actually attending and calling for greater equality. The Prime Minister claims that letting women in for one breakfast is smashing the glass ceiling. If you were smashing the glass ceiling you would refuse to go to the club until they actually let women join. This whole thing is unbelievable and it is condescending towards women. Why not hold your meeting in a women's shelter? Why not actually use International Women's Day to understand the plight of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable women in this country? Inviting women to a men's club is only patronising.

Also patronising is the fact that yesterday Senator Cash stood up at the Press Club in Canberra and talked about the importance of tackling family and domestic violence—while, at the same time, the only family violence service in Katherine got a phone call and an email from their government to say that their funding is being cut in half. The Katherine women's legal service provides vital front-line services to victims of family violence, and I repeat: this is the only one in Katherine. They have had their funding cut in half by Senator Scullion. They now have to reduce their staff by two, move to smaller premises and cut back on vital work that they do in remote communities in their outreach program. If providing support for women who are being bashed and beaten is not a front-line service, then what is? The gap will never be closed if services that are working to close the gap have their funding cut.

To be honest, I am sick and tired of all the people who put on white ribbons and talk about family violence while at the same time ripping funding away from front-line services. It is absolutely disgraceful. Of course, we all want to reduce domestic violence, and I am not questioning that in this parliament there is bipartisan support for tackling family violence. But it means absolutely nothing if services are being cut.

Domestic violence is an issue right around this country. Two women a week are killed by their partners. In my home territory, Katherine has some of the highest rates of domestic violence in this country, and 2013 and 2014 have seen more domestic violence assaults than ever before. Katherine is at the forefront. Per capita, the rate of family violence in Katherine is four to five times greater than in Darwin and 10 times greater than in the rest of Australia.

The sister of the minister for women in the Northern Territory, Bess Price, was stabbed to death in Katherine late last year. That is an absolute tragedy but it illustrates the incredible levels of violence in this area. But funding has been cut. It is insane, it is madness and it is wrong. I will say again: if you are an Aboriginal woman you are 80 times more likely to be hospitalised because of assault than any other Australian.

I challenge all the women and men who are going to the men-only Tattersalls Club for International Women's Day: come to the Territory. Come to Katherine and see bashed and bloodied women, or go to Tennant Creek and see the horrific levels of alcohol-fuelled violence in that town. Go to the Alice Springs emergency department, which is often described as a 'war zone'. Go to the women's shelter in Alice Springs that has to turn away, on average, seven women and their children every night—desperate women who have nowhere else to go. That is where I will be this Sunday. That is where I am going to be on International Women's Day. Men-only clubs are relics of the past. I condemn the LNP for holding their International Women's Day event there.

Question agreed to.