Private Members' Statement: DV Project: 2650

For too many years, domestic violence and family violence have been a curse on our communities. Across Australia one in three women above the age of 15 will experience at least one incident of violence from a current or former partner. Wagga Wagga is no exception. According to reports, an average of 25 domestic violence incidents present to Wagga Wagga police each week. That does not include incidents in surrounding towns across the region. In August last year statewide data showed the rate of domestic violence across Wagga Wagga was 29 per cent above the State average, with an increase of 40 per cent across five years. This weekThe Daily Advertiser published an article identifying the legal battles that victims of domestic violence face every week. According to that article, police referred 1,095 cases to Wagga Wagga Family Support Services for domestic and family violence across just five months this year.

It is simply disgraceful that, according to the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, these appallingly high numbers have either increased or remained stable year after year. So how do we as a community begin to stem this scourge? Wagga Wagga has amazing not-for-profit groups, organisations and individuals doing incredible work to protect victims, prosecute perpetrators and prevent future incidents of violence. I am pleased to report that we have gone one step further with a pilot project titled the DV Project: 2650, which is aimed at preventing domestic violence. Auspiced by the Wagga Women's Health Centre in partnership with Wagga Wagga City Council and funded by the State Government's Domestic and Family Violence Innovation Fund, the project takes a multifaceted, whole community approach to the prevention of domestic violence across the city, focusing on the root cause of the problem—gender inequality. Just last night Wagga Wagga's the DV Project: 2650 held a public forum titled "My Story. Our Story," at the Civic Theatre in Wagga Wagga. This event discussed actionable steps to address the rate of domestic violence across the city. It was partly funded by Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network through the Australian Government's Primary Health Network program.

I thank special guest and veteran journalist Ray Martin and the evening's panellists: Wagga Women's Health Centre Vice President Genevieve Fleming, School Liaison Police Officer Senior Constable Troy Fisher and NRL Respect Community Manager Steve Meredith, who facilitated the community conversation that followed. I also commend the tireless efforts of the Riverina police district officers as well as the social and health workers across various communities who, despite being faced with difficult and often complex emotional circumstances, put heart and soul into helping the women and children impacted by acts of physical, sexual, financial, emotional and psychological abuse.

I particularly acknowledge Wagga Wagga Family Support Services for providing aid to women and children experiencing domestic violence through its pilot case management program. Last financial year, these government‑funded case workers helped more than 1,000 women access immediate support services, linking them to housing, legal aid, victim-related services, and financial counselling, just to name a few. When Wagga Wagga Family Support Services expressed fear over continuation of the program funding come July this year, I took its concern directly to the Government. As a result, I was pleased this week to inform director Jenna Roberts the Government had committed to supporting the program for another year. An evaluation of the service will also be undertaken during this 12-month period. I thank the New South Wales Premier, and the Attorney General, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence for their prompt action, and for their ongoing commitment and work in this critical space.

In addition, I also acknowledge the Government for its decision to become a member of Our Watch, the organisation pushing for the prevention of violence against women and children nationwide. While I note the wonderful and heart-warming work being done across my electorate—as well as the commitment of nationwide and statewide bodies—we can do more. It is simply not good enough for the domestic violence plague to increase or even remain unchanged. There is a strong link between inequality, disrespect and domestic violence. We must address the gender divide and social norms that foster sexism, misogyny and prejudice. The victim blaming, the stigma around reporting of abuse and the head-in-the-sand attitude that this is not a problem or that this is a problem to be kept behind closed doors have to change. Finally, I implore my fellow members of Parliament to lead the way. Change starts when we check our own attitudes towards women and afford all women full and equal respect.