"Dead" stimulus money would double funding to address violence against women
28-May-2009
Close to $40 million wasted on stimulus payments to the dead and those living overseas could have been used to almost double funding for the new National Action Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women & Children, Shadow Minister for Women Sophie Mirabella said today.
“It is shameful that close to $40 million has been wasted on payments that bring no benefit at all to our nation. That’s equal to the Government’s recent commitment of $41.5 million to the new National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women & Children.”
“Domestic violence is a serious and pervasive problem that costs our community – both economically and socially. Just imagine how much good could have been done if we could double funding to address this problem? Instead, the money has been wasted.”
Mrs Mirabella said she was deeply concerned that the Rudd Government was not serious about addressing the issue of violence against women.
“The Budget papers show that the Government is allocating no additional funds whatsoever to its new National Plan. In fact, the funding already announced is simply a redirection of funds already allocated for the Women’s Safety Agenda.”
“I think the Rudd Government has got to get its priorities right. They are frantically splashing millions of dollars around, including to those who are dead and living overseas, but they are only allocating a fraction of a fraction to address the serious plight of women and children who face physical violence.”
“The Government set up a Council which worked hard to develop a National Plan – but now they’re not allocating enough resources to actually deliver any additional positive programs.”
Mrs Mirabella said the Coalition was “ready and willing” to support practical measures to address the problem of violence against women and children.
“This is a whole of community problem that requires a whole of community solution. The Coalition is committed to working with the Government in a bipartisan way on this issue,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“The announcements last month of $12.4 million for a telephone crisis service and the $26 million for prevention activities including a public education campaign are welcome – but they are essentially just a re-badging of programs that were operating under the former government.”
“The previous Women’s Safety Agenda included a counselling hotline and public education campaign and was an investment of $75.5 million over 4 years. The Budget papers show that the total the government is planning to spend on the new national Action Plan is $55.2 million over the next 4 years – which is $20 million less than our commitment over an identical time frame. You’ve got to question whether the Rudd Government is serious on this issue.”
“This National Action Plan Report is an important blueprint and we all need to work together to ensure it translates to practical programs and policies that will help women and children. Something like this must be about real assistance – not more rhetoric, reports and committees.”