Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Tomorrow is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This day is a global call to action, when we are being asked to unite in activism to end violence against women and against girls. We know that worldwide one in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. These aren't just international statistics, though; these are statistics reflected in the Australian experience. It's one in three here too. We know that on average one woman every 10 days in Australia will be killed by an intimate partner. When we include sexual harassment in the picture, it is even bleaker: 53 per cent of women will have experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime. These are women we know, women we love—this is us.

Every Australian has the right to live a life free from violence, whether at home, at school, at work or in their community. And violence is not inevitable. We know this. That's why we're taking action as a government to end it. I acknowledge where there has been bipartisan support to do that, and I acknowledge the work of many senators in this place who have made that work part of their core mission and core business in the Senate and in public life.

As a government, we are committed to addressing the underlying factors that drive gender based violence as well as rates of violence, and we've backed this up with a record $1.7 billion worth of investment. As senators here know, in October our government released the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. This is the national policy framework which will guide our efforts and actions over the next decade. Along with the states and territories, our government has committed to a shared goal of ending gendered violence within one generation. It's an ambitious goal, and for it to be achieved will require tangible actions. The plan outlines actions to address gender discrimination, implement prevention strategies and embed effective early intervention approaches, and importantly it outlines actions that will build the frontline sector workforce to ensure women and children can access tailored and culturally safe support no matter where they live. As Senator Waters said so eloquently, we know that whilst this is an issue which affects all women in our community, it does affect certain women in our community more than others. That includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and that is why there will also be a standalone plan focused on domestic and family violence against First Nations women and children.

The work under this plan is important, but so too are the other policies our government has been working on, including paid family and domestic violence leave, our work and significant and substantial investments in housing and our work in implementing the recommendations of the Respect@Work report. I'm proud of these policies, I'm proud to be part of a government that recognises the fundamental right of women and children to live safely and without fear and I'm proud of the bipartisan efforts to come together on this mission and this goal. This isn't an easy fix; it requires all of us, not just in government but across all parts of our communities, to work together to drive the systemic changes required to stop this type of violence at its core, to stand up and to loudly and fiercely say that we will not stand for domestic and family violence anymore, that we will not stand for violence against women and children, that we will take action, that we will invest the money required to do so and that we won't stop fighting until every single woman and child feels safe in their home, in their school, in their workplace, in their community, in this country, in the world. No lesser goal is worthy of our efforts. No lesser goal will do.