Ahead of federal elections coming up soon, both major political parties, Liberal and Labor, eyeing power in Canberra have made significant commitments to fighting domestic violence. The rising numbers of such cases is alarming not only the general public but also lawmakers.
Terming domestic violence a “national security issue”, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on March 4 that the federal government will commit $328 million to curb violence against women.
In a statement on its website, the Department of Social Services mentions that “the Commonwealth Government is leading the development of the Fourth Action Plan 2019-2022 of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan) in partnership with state and territory governments.” It also states that this plan, known as The Fourth Action Plan, is the final action plan of the National Plan.
The package includes $82 million for frontline services, $68 million for prevention strategies and $78 million for safe places for family violence sufferers.
Mr Morrison said the aim was to wipe out domestic violence, but he could not say when that would happen.
“I look forward to the day when a Prime Minister can stand … and say that a young girl being born today won’t experience this over the course of the first 20 years of their life… It’s not clear to me what day they will be able to say that but I know what we’re doing today takes us closer to that point,” Mr Morrison said.
Minister for Women Kelly O'Dwyer said the prevention strategy would also raise awareness about sexual violence, with programmes to increase young people's understanding of consent and healthy sexual relationships.
“We are absolutely steadfast in our resolve and our belief that targeted and coordinated prevention strategies can help to end the vicious cycle of domestic violence,” Ms O'Dwyer said.
The national sexual assault and domestic violence phone counselling service will get $62 million, while $35 million will go towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The funding will also help develop prevention initiatives in culturally and linguistically diverse communities and for people with disability.
Minister for Women Kelly O'Dwyer says one in six women have experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner since the age of 15.
Labor also has recently pledged $60 million to create about 20,000 funding packages for people fleeing domestic violence, if they are elected to government.
Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said on Tuesday she was disappointed the government had not backed the idea as part of its policy.
Australia's major banks would be forced to fund a program to help people fleeing family violence, if the Labor party wins the next federal election.
One, often significant, barrier to leaving a violent relationship is the financial burden it can impose.
Labor wants to make that choice a little easier by providing what are called flexible support packages, so family violence victims can meet their immediate financial needs.
The idea is based on a program that's been operating in Victoria since 2016, where the packages provide money for costs such as housing, utilities and medical care.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten says $60 million will be allocated to the program over four years.
“We will fund 20,000 flexible support packages. These are modest packages. No women who gets one has won the lotto getting one of these packages. The fact of the matter is we're allowing up to $10,000. The average claim of a woman escaping violence is about $3,000, so it's not very much to free a mother and kids from a violence relationship,” Mr Shorten says.
The Labor party says it will pay for the program by putting a levy on the major banks.
Labor's Clare O'Neil says the Australian Labor Party will force the banks to give back to the community.
“Now, I'm sure they'll be some out there who say 'what's this got to do with the banks, why should the banks be funding this sort of service?' Well what we say to those people is this. Last year, the big four banks in this country made $30 billion in profit alone. For every woman, for every of the thousand women who will be helped by these packages, that small amount of money that she will get will be life changing for her, for the bank it will be merely a rounding error. This is about making sure the banks give back to us and that's the sort of attitude that you'll see from a Shorten Labor government.”
Labor's family violence announcement comes after the federal government announced it will crack down on foreigners with domestic violence convictions.
Under the Coalition's announcement, visitors to Australia can be refused entry, or kicked out, if they have prior convictions for family violence.
Immigration Minister David Coleman says the decision came into force on February 28 and that it bars anyone who has committed violence against women or children from the country.
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