Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Polley for the supplementary and acknowledge all of the work she's done in advocating for support for programs in the state of Tasmania when it comes to ending violence against women and children. The commission's report points to the development of the second action plan as a crucial moment to align efforts to new evidence and changing contexts, and we know that, particularly in the area of technology and coercive control, we are seeing changing behaviour all the time.

Today, as Minister Plibersek said in the other place, the first thing that is done when a woman attends an emergency accommodation service is to have their phone, their vehicle and a lot of other electronic devices checked for tracking devices that may have been placed on them by their perpetrator. This is the way that we have to respond to the changing use of technology and its impact on women and children. This report will help guide some of that work, as will all of the other work that's been happening across the sector. We acknowledge those who have advocated for decades to improve the lives of women and children in this country.