"Time for Action" report welcome - but more funding needed

29-April-2009

The Coalition welcomes the Government’s release today of the “Time for Action” report of the National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and Children but the Rudd Government has not invested enough in addressing the problem, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare, Women and Youth Sophie Mirabella said today.

“Domestic violence is a serious and pervasive problem that costs our community – both economically and socially. It requires more than tokenism. Given that the Government has delayed releasing this Report, and we were not even shown a copy of it until today, we’re not optimistic that the Government is serious about encouraging a bi-partisan approach.”

Mrs Mirabella said she was deeply concerned that the Rudd Government would not be able to fund practical programs to address domestic violence due to their “irresponsible spending sprees in recent months”.

“The bottom line is that the Rudd Government has announced close to $100 billion in new spending in the past few months. Today’s $41.5 million to address Violence Against Women and Children represents just .000415% of the cash splash.”

“I think the Rudd Government has got to get its priorities right. They are frantically splashing tens of billions of dollars around, but are only allocating a fraction of a fraction to address the serious plight of women and children who face physical violence.”

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 today 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 – on the face of it, more than the Rudd Labor Government is putting forward today.”

“Other elements such as a national register of family protection orders and working with the States and Territories to ensure greater enforcement of these orders are a positive step forward.”

“This 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.”

Mrs Mirabella congratulated the Council on its Report and thanked Chairperson Libby Lloyd for her work.

“I’ve met with Libby a number of times and know how genuinely committed she and her team are to supporting women and children. I want to help ensure that their work translates into policies that make a long-term difference.”