Domestic and Family Violence

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:54): Supplementary: given the minister's expressed concern about the protection of women against domestic violence, what action has she taken in response to the fact that, since the Premier's announcement to do a review on domestic violence law, announced in November last year, an issues paper has not even been issued yet to progress that reform?

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is on the edge.

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:55): The reason I am rising to answer this question is: I think you might recall, Mr Speaker—I think it was even last week—that the deputy leader was asking me questions about this. I accept that it is my department that is supposed to be coordinating the response across government to this. We are active—

Mr van Holst Pellekaan: Why was the other minister going to answer then?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: She was probably going to tell you what I am telling you.

The SPEAKER: I warn the member for Stuart.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: She is probably happy for me to tell you what she was going to tell you, I think. We are coordinating a whole-of-government response to this. Actually, I think members need to just bear in mind too—and this is a very important piece of work. All of us on this side take this very seriously, as I know people opposite do—all of us do. But can I say this—and it is something that often is not acknowledged—the cohort of people who are the people who are suffering from the effects of domestic violence and the people who are the perpetrators of domestic violence have a strong correlation with the cohort of people who have children who are not being properly cared for or children who are at risk. They also have a strong correlation with those people who are in minister Bettison's housing—

Ms Chapman: Where did you pluck that out of?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I am telling you something which is a self-evident truth as you start looking at the facts.

Ms Chapman: Well, don't give us that drivel. We don't need a lecture: we want an answer.

The SPEAKER: The member for Bragg can leave us under the sessional order for a full hour, being a repeat offender and having had so many chances.

The honourable member for Bragg having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: Is the Deputy Premier finished?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Yes.