Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a string of initiatives aimed at tackling family and domestic violence.. Photo: Facebook.
The Coalition will commit an additional $90 million to address family and domestic violence if elected to government, with plans to set up a national domestic violence register and also crack down on the use of spyware.
However, Labor argues that the Opposition has arrived late to the party, as much of what it is promising is already in operation.
Peter Dutton said the investment recognises the complexities of the issue and that more action is needed to build on the continued implementation of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032 (National Plan).
In announcing the pledge, the Opposition Leader said it highlighted his personal commitment to address family and domestic violence in Australia.
“As a former police officer who attended numerous domestic violence call-outs, I know the lifelong impact of these horrific crimes,” Mr Dutton said.
“A government I lead will be focused on delivering real change so that families, women and children are safer and we end family and domestic violence.”
When asked during a media appearance on Thursday (24 April) what his message to men would be in relation to family violence, the Opposition Leader said men had to be the best possible role models they could be.
“We have to provide an example to our children, in particular, our sons,” he says.
“We have to make sure we do not walk past examples of violence in the workplace or in family settings or anywhere in the community.”
His election commitment is to focus on prevention, early intervention and crisis response.
The policy includes implementing a national domestic violence register; specialist early and behavioural intervention programs and tougher monitoring measures; and developing uniform national knife laws in collaboration with the states and territories.
A key element of the policy is to establish new domestic violence offences to make it a crime to use mobile phone and computer networks to cause an intimate partner or family member to fear for their personal safety, to track them using spyware or engage in coercive behaviours.
Tough bail laws would apply to these new offences.
Another component is to lift the threshold for fast-track property settlements in the family law courts, so that separating couples with an asset pool of up to $1.5 million can resolve matters that do not involve children quickly and fairly.
The policy also seeks to:
- Improve online safety for women and children
- Expand the Safe Places Emergency Accommodation Program
- Support women and children fleeing domestic violence with emergency payments through the Leaving Violence Program
- Increase crisis helpline support
- Support community organisations to deliver domestic violence awareness training
- Recycle mobile phones so victim survivors cannot be tracked, harassed or further abused
- Ensure the delivery of the National Plan
- Launch a Royal Commission into sexual abuse in Indigenous communities, and
- Strengthen Commonwealth taxation, welfare and superannuation systems where practicable to eradicate financial abuse, coercive control and unfair outcomes following family and domestic violence.
Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said the Coalition is just copying Labor policy.
“It’s already operating, and this is what we’ve seen with an Opposition that hasn’t done the work over three years or haven’t paid attention to all the work that has been done in ending violence against women and children in this country,” Senator Gallagher said.
“There’s the national criminal intelligence system, we put $100 million into that in the 24-25 Budget, precisely so that system that is used by police across jurisdictions can have additions made to it where a flag will be placed against an individual’s name if there is domestic violence concerns around it.
“The national register that they’ve announced today is already being funded and enhanced through the National Criminal Intelligence System… it’s already an offence to use a carriage service to menace another individual.
“Those laws have already been put in place, and when it comes to bail laws, that is work that’s already been commissioned through National Cabinet and is a matter that the states and territories are working on in conjunction with the Prime Minister through our National Cabinet approach.”
Shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash said the significant legal reforms in the policy would deliver “real change” that Labor hasn’t addressed.
“This is all about knowledge and ensuring that police and the relevant agencies have the knowledge and the information they need to make their decisions,” Senator Cash said.
