Women and children who take the first step towards a life free from violence deserve our help. Labor will invest to ensure they have a safe place to go, and support on their journey. I was pleased to join Alicia Payne MP Katy Gallagher Andrew Leigh MP and David Smith MP to discuss Labor’s plans with YWCA Canberra. Read more in the Canberra Times.
Picture: Elesa Kurtz, Canberra Times
I met with Elly Desmarchelier - a fierce advocate for protecting the NDIS. The Morrison Government has administered cuts to funding over the past nine years, undermining the NDIS and prioritising cost-saving over dignity. Labor believes that no one should be left behind. We established the NDIS, and we’re determined to protect it.
Shane Hamilton, Labor for Dawson and I visited the Mackay Women's Centre. Executive Director Linda-Ann Northey spoke with us about the harrowing stories of local women struggling to find accommodation for themselves after fleeing violent relationships. We heard of women being forced to live in cars and box trailers with their young children. Yet for domestic and family violence services, stories like these are all too common.
That’s why Labor is allocating $100 million to refurbishing, revitalising and extending crisis accommodation in Australia. Here is Central Queensland that will mean an additional $2 million to expand crisis accommodation services. Labor is committed to national leadership on women’s safety and helping to make stories like these a thing of the past.
Rowan Holzberger - Labor for Forde Letitia Del Fabbro - Labor for Fadden Glen Palmer - Labor for Moncrieff and I spoke with Rosie O’Malley, CEO of the Gold Coast Domestic Violence Prevention Centre. Over the past two years, Rosie has seen significant increases in the demand on domestic and family violence services. As of February, the Centre is helping 125 new women a week, in addition to the 7,000 women they already work with each year. Domestic violence services in Queensland and across the country are being stretched to the limit, they are in critical need of support to meet the growing demand. If elected, a Labor government will approach this challenge with urgency, ambition and creativity.
Wonderful to be in Cairns with Elida Faith - Labor for Leichhardt to talk with local family and domestic violence services doing amazing work to support women and children fleeing violence in the local community.
We also discussed Labor’s commitment to provide $1 million for additional crisis accommodation and 7 additional community sector workers in Far North Queensland. You can watch our video message HERE.
The Jannawi Family Centre offers support to children who experience violence at home. Their staff speak a range of languages and work hard to support families right across the community.
Tony Bourke MP, Zhi Soon Labor's candidate for Banks and I shared Labor’s commitment to provide dedicated funding to organisations that support Australians from culturally diverse backgrounds to employ specialist domestic and family violence workers. We know the importance of culturally appropriate frontline services for victim-survivors from culturally diverse communities.
Linda Burney MP, Josh Burns MP, Ged Kearney MP and I met with LGBTIQ+ organisations at the Victorian Pride Centre. If Labor wins government, an Albanese government will fund 15 workers in LGBTIQ+ community organisations to help people experiencing domestic and family violence. This means 1,200 people who would have been turned away will now get help at one of the most vulnerable times in their life.
