Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Will the Prime Minister convene a national summit that brings together governments, advocates, service providers and survivors to help this nation address the scourge of family violence?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Keneally for that question. I can inform the Senate that Minister Payne, the Minister for Women, is convening a meeting of all the women's safety ministers next week. This will be a very important meeting, accelerating the work already underway. Then, in the following week, the Council of Australian Governments will be updated on the work that has been undertaken as part of the Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. This is all work we do in partnership, of course, and alongside the state and territory governments, who are on the front line in relation to this issue. This has, of course, been a bipartisan initiative all the way through. I again acknowledge that this work—to establish the first action plan—commenced under the Rudd and Gillard governments.

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

Senator Keneally, a supplementary question?

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the Prime Minister also make it easier for women to escape violent and abusive relationships by refunding defunded advocacy services and improving access to the social security system?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Keneally for that supplementary question. We will continue, as we have done, to work in a non-partisan fashion with all of the state and territory governments in relation to these issues to ensure that appropriate funding is provided. Indeed, in my statement a little earlier, I did point out the very significant funding that has been put in place during our period in government to address this terrible issue. The government's first priority is to keep Australians safe. Combating violence against women and children is, of course, central to that objective. Women have the right to be safe in their homes, in their communities, in their workplaces and online. Since 2013, the Commonwealth has committed $840 million to address domestic and family violence and will continue, as I say, to work with all of the state and territory governments to further build on the work that's already been done.

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

Senator Keneally, a final supplementary question?

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the Prime Minister make it easier for women to escape violent and abusive relationships by providing more safe places for women and children to stay and including paid family violence leave in National Employment Standards?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will continue to work with the state and territory governments through all these issues and will continue to make decisions as appropriate.

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

My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. Can the minister advise the Senate on why the government's approach to domestic and family violence is one of zero tolerance?

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

I thank Senator Askew for her question. We heard, in the remarks of leaders in the chamber prior to question time, that this is a very difficult matter to speak of, given the events of last week. We all learned of the tragedy at Camp Hill with horror and great sadness. I know that colleagues across the government and across the parliament are also grappling with this appalling event and trying to understand how something like this can happen. And it is important that we do continue to reflect on it and to talk about it and that we do act on it. Our government believes that one death of a woman or a child at the hands of a partner or a father is one too many. Our unequivocal goal is to reduce family violence and to eliminate it. It is, as colleagues have said, unacceptable that a woman is killed every week in Australia by a partner.

Language is important. We can't tolerate public language that trivialises or distorts the reality of domestic violence. Each murder, each act of domestic violence, is an individual atrocity. There is no betrayal so detestable as an act of violence against the people we are supposed to love and care for. Hannah Clarke and her three children, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey, had a right to be safe in their home, within their neighbourhood. All women and children in Australia have that right. As a community, as a parliament, we must redouble our efforts to keep women and children safe.

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

Can the minister update the Senate on what the government is doing to eliminate violence against women and children?

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

We know that eliminating domestic violence takes sustained, long-term action, including primary prevention and early intervention, and they are both focuses of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022. As Minister Cormann indicated, as part of the fourth action plan the Commonwealth government is investing considerably—$340 million—in frontline services to protect and support women and children. That includes funding for training 18,500 frontline workers, providing safe places for women and children affected by violence and support for the 1800RESPECT line.

In the second half of last year I took the opportunity to convene at least five, I think, round tables on family and domestic violence; held three women's safety ministers meetings with Minister Ruston, hearing directly from survivors and from practitioners and to progress this action across Australia— (Time expired)

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

Can the minister advise the Senate of what more governments, individuals and communities can do to prevent the scourge of domestic violence?

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

To be very clear, we know there is more to do. But we also know that to bring about the further change needed we need collaboration and commitment from governments, from the community and from individuals. I spoke this morning with my state colleague Di Farmer in Queensland, the Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women and Minister for Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, about our work together. In the wake of Camp Hill we'll consider what additional approaches we need to take, including access to mental health services to support both victims and people who are at risk of perpetrating violence. I will work on that with my counterpart women's safety ministers.

We must all work to eradicate perverse attitudes that lead to control, to manipulation, to abuse and ultimately to violence within families. That is a task for all of us.