Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. Forty-three women have been killed by family and domestic violence this year alone. We continue to be in an epidemic of violence against women. We know that violence against women cuts against all backgrounds and disproportionately affects First Nations women and women with disabilities. Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of UN Women's 16 Days of Activism. We welcome the government's additional funding for 1800RESPECT, which has experienced a 3,000 per cent rise in calls. But, as demand continues to grow, it's simply not enough, and it's frontline services that need more funding too. Women are still turned away when they seek help, and underfunding of specialist sexual assault services means that, when 1800RESPECT refers callers to them, they can't provide support. When will the government increase funding to frontline family and domestic support services, to specialist sexual violence services and to comprehensive prevention work across the community?