Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Can the minister inform the Senate of the government's programs and work to address violence against women across Australia?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Askew very much for her question. Stopping violence against women and their families in Australia is a significant priority for this government. Rates of domestic, family and sexual violence remain unacceptably high. Violence against women is a gross violation of their human rights, profoundly impacting victims, their communities and society as a whole. That is why as a government we have committed over $850 million to address domestic, family and sexual violence since 2013, including most recently $340 million committed in the 2019-20 budget to support the Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.

Last week, the government began the next iteration of the Stop it at the Start campaign, encouraging adults to reflect on their attitudes and to talk to young people about these matters: respectful relationships, and behaviours that contribute to violence. Lifeline Australia are continuing to deliver domestic violence alert workshops which will train about 18,500 allied health, education, childcare and community support frontline workers over the next three years to recognise, respond and refer appropriately when working with people experiencing domestic and family violence. We've also held a number of open grant rounds to fund community-led prevention activities and a new sexual violence accredited training program. In the next week, we'll open a grant round to provide $60 million to expand emergency housing to help more women and children experiencing domestic violence find a safe place to stay. The engagement between the Commonwealth and the states and territories is a very important part of our initiatives as well.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Askew, a supplementary question?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could the minister also update the Senate on the Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today, with Senator Ruston and with our colleagues in the states and territories, we released the national implementation plan of the fourth action plan, which clearly demonstrates how the government is working with states and territories to reduce violence against women. I want to acknowledge Minister Ruston and also the states' and territories' women's safety ministers and the council, with whom we have been working and collaborating on this over recent months. The Australian government is responsible for 34 of the initiatives, representing our $340 million investment. The national implementation plan itself provides details of over 160 initiatives delivered under the fourth action plan. It's the first time under the national plan that we have seen the Australian government's activities together with those of state and territory governments. The plan sets out details for each of the initiatives, including funding, key milestones, intended outcomes and how it is linked to the 20 actions and the five national priorities of the fourth action plan.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Askew, a final supplementary question?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could the minister update the Senate on projects in our region that the government is funding that focus on eliminating violence against women and girls?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate Senator Askew's question because ending gender based violence is a key pillar of Australia's foreign policies in overseas programs in the Indo-Pacific. For example, through the Nabilan Program in Timor-Leste, we've provided more than 32,000 services to survivors of violence, including legal assistance, medical examinations, counselling and crisis accommodation. As well, we have worked with the national government on policies to prevent violence. Australia is also making a contribution to the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls, which will focus on promoting change at a community level to prevent violence. The Pacific partnership builds on Australia's long-term support to expand services, including support for women's crisis centres in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga. I try, whenever I am able on my visits, to meet with the women's crisis centres in those locations.