Motions

Domestic and Family Violence Prevention

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (11:12): I move:

That this house—

(a) recognises that the month of May is Domestic Violence Prevention Month, and the urgent need to raise awareness, stand with survivors, and take meaningful action to prevent domestic and family violence in all its forms;

(b) recognises that domestic violence is not a private matter—it is a pervasive social crisis that affects individuals across every community, regardless of age, culture or social and economic status. Domestic Violence Prevention Month is a time to remember those who have lost their lives, support those who are rebuilding theirs and recommit to creating a future where every person feels safe in their home and relationships;

(c) reflects on the role that individuals, especially men, must play in challenging the cultural and systemic norms that allow violence to continue. Domestic violence is not just a 'women's issue'—it is a societal issue, and it is every man's responsibility to speak out against it, call out abusive behaviour and contribute to a culture of respect and accountability;

(d) condemns in the strongest possible terms all forms of domestic violence, including physical, emotional, psychological, sexual and financial abuse, and recognises that such violence disproportionately affects women and children;

(e) acknowledges the profound and long-lasting harm that domestic violence causes to individuals, families and communities, and the urgent need for systemic action to prevent it;

(f) affirms that violence against women and children is never acceptable, never excusable and must be treated as a matter of urgent national and social concern;

(g) recognises that ending violence against women requires a whole-of-society effort, and calls on all men—as brothers, fathers, partners, friends and bystanders—to actively challenge sexist attitudes, call out abusive behaviour and speak up when they witness or become aware of violence or the threat of violence against women;

(h) condemns the persistent societal tendency to disbelieve, discredit or subject women's reports of domestic or sexual violence to disproportionate scrutiny compared to reports of other crimes;

(i) commits to supporting survivors of domestic violence through robust legal protections, accessible support services and public education campaigns aimed at prevention and accountability; and

(j) calls upon the government, institutions, communities and leaders to foster a culture where women and children can live free from fear, and where silence in the face of violence is no longer tolerated.

In recognition of Domestic Violence Prevention Month, this house acknowledges the urgent need to raise awareness, stand with survivors, and take meaningful action to prevent domestic and family violence in all forms. Domestic Violence Prevention Month serves as a vital reminder that domestic violence is not a private matter: it is a pervasive social crisis that affects individuals across every community, regardless of age, culture or social and economic status.

It is a time to remember those who have lost their lives, support those who are rebuilding theirs and recommit to creating a future where every person feels safe in their home and in relationships. It is also a time to reflect on the role individuals, especially men, must play in challenging the cultural and systemic norms that allow violence to continue.

Domestic violence is not just a women's issue: it is a societal issue, and it is every man's responsibility to speak out against it, call out abusive behaviour and contribute to a culture of respect and accountability. With this in mind, this house:

1. Condemns in the strongest possible terms all forms of domestic violence, including physical, emotional, psychological, sexual and financial abuse, and recognises that such violence disproportionately affects women and children.

2. Acknowledges the profound and long-lasting harm that domestic violence causes to individuals, families and communities, and the urgent need for systemic action to prevent it.

3. Affirms that violence against women and children is never acceptable, never excusable and must be treated as a matter of urgent national and social concern.

4. Recognises that ending violence against women requires a whole-of-society effort, and calls on all men—as brothers, fathers, partners, friends and bystanders—to actively challenge sexist attitudes, call out abusive behaviour and speak up when they witness or become aware of violence or the threat of violence against women.

5. Condemns the persistent societal tendency to disbelieve, discredit or subject women's reports of domestic or sexual violence to disproportionate scrutiny compared to reports of other crimes.

6. Commits to supporting survivors of domestic violence through robust legal protections, accessible support services and public education campaigns aimed at prevention and accountability.

7. Calls upon the government, institutions, communities and leaders to foster a culture where women and children can live free from fear and where silence in the face of violence is no longer tolerated.

Today I rise in unwavering support for this motion and recognition of Domestic Violence Prevention Month. This is a time of solemn reflection, fierce advocacy and renewed commitment to eradicating one of the gravest social crises facing our nation, domestic and family violence.

Domestic violence is not a private issue. It is not confined to the four walls of a home, nor is it a matter for silence, secrecy or shame. Domestic violence is systemic, a deeply rooted social plague that affects individuals from all walks of life, across all ages, cultures, genders and socio-economic backgrounds. It is a scourge that tears at the fabric of our communities and leaves behind a devastation that spans generations. Today this house acknowledges the urgent need to raise awareness, stand with survivors and take meaningful action to prevent domestic and family violence in all its forms, because inaction is complicity. Silence is not neutral: it is dangerous.

To grasp the magnitude of this issue, let us consider the current data. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics in a 2021-22 personal survey, one in four women, 23 per cent, and one in 14 men, 7 per cent, in Australia have experienced violence by an intimate partner since the age of 15. More than one woman a week is killed by a current or former intimate partner. Over the years, the number of women who have been killed in gender-based violence in Australia has been: in 2020, 62; 2021, 44; 2022, 56; 2023, 64; and 2024, 78. I seek leave, sir, to insert a table into Hansard.

Leave granted.

Women killed in gender-based violence in Australia

Source: Counting Dead Women, Destroy the Joint.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: More than 2.9 million Australian adults have experienced physical and sexual abuse by a partner in their lifetime. This is not just a series of unfortunate incidents: this is a national emergency. Beyond physical injury, domestic violence leaves deep psychological scars. Victims often endure years of emotional, financial and verbal abuse, forms of violence that are less visible but equally destructive. Emotional abuse, which includes manipulation, threats, degradation and isolation, was reported by 31 per cent of women who had experienced partner violence. Financial abuse, where an abuser controls access to money and resources, affects nearly 16 per cent of women and is one of the leading barriers to escaping a violent relationship.

The impact does not end with the immediate victim. Domestic violence has devastating effects on children who witness it. These children are at increased risk of experiencing mental health problems and behavioural issues and becoming either victims or perpetrators of violence themselves in later life. We cannot ignore the generational trauma domestic violence causes. We cannot be passive witnesses to a cycle that repeats itself over and over because we fail to intervene.

It is our collective responsibility to stand with survivors, to believe them, to support them and to ensure that they are not retraumatised by the very system that is meant to protect them. Tragically, too many survivors face disbelief, victim blaming and indifference. They are asked, 'Why didn't you leave?' or 'What did you do for him to do that?' This reversal of accountability is not just misguided, it is dangerous. It sends a message that abusers can act with immunity and that survivors will face suspicion and shame rather than support.

Survivors need more than sympathy, they need action. They need services that are fully funded, legal systems that respond with urgency and communities that support them, not isolate them. They need safe housing, trauma-informed care, financial assistance and culturally appropriate support. Let us be clear: while domestic violence can affect anyone, the overwhelming majority of victims are women and the overwhelming majority of perpetrators are men. In Australia, 95 per cent of all victims of violence, whether physical or emotional, report that the perpetrator was a male.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 32 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence than non-Indigenous women. Women with disabilities are twice as likely to experience partner violence as women without disabilities. Migrants and refugee women often face added vulnerabilities due to cultural and language barriers, visa insecurity and lack of access to support services.

This is not a coincidence, it is the result of an entrenched gender inequality and power imbalance that normalises male control and entitlement over women. We must recognise domestic violence as what it is: a manifestation of a broader culture of misogyny and discrimination. This is why we cannot treat domestic violence prevention as a standalone issue. It must be tackled in tandem with efforts to dismantle sexism, challenge gender stereotypes and promote respectful relationships from an early age.

Men must be part of the solution. Domestic violence is not a private issue or just a women's issue, it is a societal issue, it is a men's issue, and it is every man's responsibility to speak out. Men must be more than passive observers. They must be active participants in ending violence. This means calling out sexist jokes and behaviours, challenging harmful stereotypes, and holding other men accountable. It means being allies, not just in words but in action.

Every man is a woman's brother, son, friend or father. If you truly care about the women you love, then the time to act is now, not when it is convenient, not when it goes viral, but every single day, in your workplace, your homes, your sports clubs and your social circles. Addressing domestic violence requires more than awareness, it demands systemic change. We need to coordinate a more resourced and whole-of-society approach. This house has an opportunity to reaffirm:

The condemnation of all forms of domestic violence, physical, emotional, psychological, sexual and financial. No form of abuse is ever acceptable.

Recognition of the long-lasting trauma caused by domestic violence, not just to individuals but to entire communities. We must address not only the immediate harm but the root causes.

Commitment to ensuring that violence against women and children is treated as a matter of urgent national and social concern. Every act of violence is a failure of our system to protect.

Engagement of men and boys in prevention efforts. Let us challenge toxic masculinity and foster a culture of empathy, respect and accountability.

Support for survivors through robust legal protections, accessible support services and trauma-informed care. No-one should have to choose between staying in a violent home or becoming homeless.

Refusal to tolerate the persistent societal tendency to disbelieve or blame victims. We must treat reports of domestic violence with the same seriousness and urgency as any other report of a violent crime.

Leadership from government, institutions and communities to create a culture where safety is a right, not a privilege.

Australia has made progress in recent years but it is not enough as words must be matched by action. I welcome the increased investments in crisis accommodation, women's legal services and frontline programs, but I also call for greater attention to prevention: education campaigns, school-based programs and community-led initiatives.

We need trauma-informed training for police and judicial officers. We call for Family Court reforms that prioritise the safety of children and survivors. We call for data collection and research that reflects the lived realities of domestic violence. We must move beyond reactive models and invest in prevention, because by the time we are responding the harm has already been done.

This is Domestic Violence Prevention Month; let us not just raise awareness, let us raise our standards. Let us raise our voices and let us raise a generation that does not tolerate abuse in any form. Every name on the list of women killed this year represents a life cut short, a family shattered and a future stolen. We owe it to them and to their survivors to do more.

Let this house send a clear and unequivocal message that domestic violence is not inevitable, it is preventable, but prevention requires more than words, it requires courage, commitment and collective action. The time for that action is now. I commend this motion to the house.

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (11:24): I rise today to support this important motion and acknowledge the critical importance of Domestic Violence Prevention Month this May and to express my unequivocal support for the Malinauskas government's steadfast commitment to addressing one of the most pressing social crises of our time: domestic and family violence.

This month is not only a time for reflection; it is a call to action. We recognise that domestic violence is not a private matter. It does not discriminate by postcode, income, culture or creed. It weaves its destruction through our communities in silence, in secrecy and too often in shame. While its victims suffer behind closed doors, we as leaders must ensure our response is loud, visible and uncompromising.

Domestic Violence Prevention Month is a solemn reminder. We remember the lives lost—women and children whose names should never have become headlines. We stand beside those survivors who are courageously rebuilding their lives. And above all, we recommit ourselves to a future where every person feels safe in their home, in their relationships, in their workplace and in their communities.

We must speak plainly: domestic violence is a societal issue. To change society, we must first change culture. That begins with men. Not in theory, in action: men have a crucial role to play in challenging the cultural and systemic norms that have for too long enabled violence to flourish. It is not enough to say, 'I don't hurt women.' We must actively challenge sexism, call out abusive behaviour and refuse to remain silent when we witness harm.

To be clear, we condemn in the strongest possible terms all forms of domestic violence, be it physical, emotional, psychological, sexual or financial. We acknowledge that this violence disproportionately affects women and children and that its trauma is long-lasting, reverberating through generations. There is no excuse. There is no justification. There is only the imperative to act.

This government has taken real and meaningful steps, strengthening support services, investing in prevention and pursuing legal reforms to better protect victims and hold perpetrators to account. These are not small efforts. They are life-changing and, in many cases, life-saving. But there is always more to be done, because until no woman lives in fear and no child sleeps in danger, our work is not finished.

Let us also acknowledge the ongoing and damaging societal tendency to disbelieve, to discredit or to silence women who come forward. We do not subject other victims of crime to the same scrutiny, and we must interrogate why that is. We must believe survivors, support them and centre their voices in our policy and public discourse. I commend the Malinauskas government for its commitment to robust legal protections, accessible support services and public education campaigns that target the roots of abuse, not just the consequences.

Ending domestic violence will not be achieved by governments alone. It requires a whole of society effort. It requires courage, in homes, schools, workplaces and on our streets. It requires a culture where violence is not hidden, tolerated or excused, but confronted, exposed and eradicated. Let us in this chamber and beyond be leaders in that cultural shift. Let us foster a South Australia where silence is no longer tolerated, where survivors are met with support and where every person, regardless of gender, can live free from fear. This is our shared responsibility, and it is a responsibility we must all meet. I commend this motion to the house.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (11:29): I rise to commend the motion. I thank the member for Unley for bringing it to the house, particularly at this time, as the house is sitting in the month of May, being Domestic Violence Prevention Month. I want to draw particular attention on this occasion to the vigil led by Embolden, this year on the grounds of Government House, just last week. On 7 May, the vigil occurred again, and those of us attending from I think all parts of South Australia gathered to recognise, to respect, to mourn and to express a solidarity that domestic violence, family violence, is intolerable.

When we gather to express that we know we are taking our share of responsibility for doing something to end it, to change what, unimaginably, has been described by those who are working day by day in this environment as getting worse, not better. As the member for Unley has emphasised, it is something we have all got to do something about, but especially men.

I am very proud to have a number of portfolio responsibilities in opposition. As shadow minister for child protection and for Aboriginal affairs and as shadow attorney, there are important responsibilities. I was particularly proud to be our party's spokesperson for the prevention of family violence and domestic violence, and I will continue to shine a light on the role especially men need to play in what should not be something that is talked about among only a part of the community.

I am thoughtful, in the course of the debate on this motion, of the life of service that South Australian heroes, perhaps chief amongst them Helen Oxenham, have provided in an original way in bringing to attention that social norms over the better part of the last century have needed to be turned on their head. When Helen was starting to provide a shelter for young women who had nowhere to turn and was being chased up by an angry father or partner with 'Where is she?' and Helen was saying, 'She's safe, and it's not on for you to be somehow exerting your rights. She needs protection and your behaviour is not on' that was something that needed to be stated in the most basic form back then. Helen Oxenham made a life of speaking up for necessary change.

Respect is a very important part, of course, but I stand here to emphasise paragraph (b) therefore in particular—that it is not a private matter—and paragraph (c): that it is a role for individuals, especially men, to play in challenging what might be cultural and systemic norms that allow violence to continue. To the extent that there are norms out there, they need to be changed. It is unacceptable.

There is a royal commission that has now long been underway, led by Natasha Stott Despoja AO. I cannot think of a better person to be leading that work, and I have seen the important work that is being undertaken as Natasha Stott Despoja continues with it, including all around the state. We bumped into each other in Port Augusta a little while ago, where she was travelling with the commission to take that work all the way around the state. I am glad Natasha is leading the royal commission. As I understand it, as presently advised, the royal commission is to report in July this year. We look forward to that report from the royal commission.

Just as every paragraph of this motion urges action and change, the royal commission—which I am sure will advance our awareness of what we can do to change and I am sure will make recommendations for improvement and change—cannot be something that is just allowed to sit. Indeed, the government will have a responsibility and this parliament will have a responsibility to grapple with the results of that important work.

Emphasising those matters in particular, I commend the motion. I thank the member for Unley for bringing the motion and those members in this place who are contributing to the debate and are continuing the work towards necessary improvement. Let's all do more and keep Domestic Violence Prevention Month very much to the fore in the coming days and weeks.

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills) (11:35): I am very pleased to have the opportunity to rise and make a few comments in support of the motion. I want to acknowledge the words of the deputy leader there and also the words of the member for Gibson. I thought they were very well put. This is obviously an incredibly serious topic, but I think it is really powerful to see people from both sides of the chamber getting up and joining together to make a commitment to it.

I want to make particular mention of the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence and the work that she has done, but also a lot of other members on both sides of the chamber. Again, I want to point out the member for Gibson, who always speaks up on these issues, as do a lot of her colleagues.

I feel that it is important for me to put a few things on the record today as the Minister for Education, Training and Skills. Obviously, in the privileged position that I have as the Minister for Education, representing what is a really feminised workforce, I have been proud to continue the work of education ministers who have come before me in making sure that we do a lot to support our own staff—who, as I said, are vastly and overwhelmingly women—around making sure there is support available to them as teachers or SSOs or principals or people who work at 31 Flinders Street.

Some of the things that we have done—I do not seek to take credit for these; these are things that may well have been done before me but I seek to continue the support for them—include 15 days of paid domestic and family violence leave per year. Specialist domestic and family violence counselling is made available by the Department for Education, which is a free and confidential service that is provided and includes referrals to other professionals if that is needed outside that first session of counselling. The department also has a domestic and family violence workplace procedure that is in place to support its employees.

I like to think that, given the role that not just public education but education plays in making sure that we teach young South Australians about respectful relationships, we need to model that in terms of the support we provide to our own staff. That is really important. I think we do need to lead the way, and I think we are doing that.

I also want to make acknowledgement of the work of TAFE in this area as well. We often have debates around TAFE: the place of TAFE and how TAFE is funded. I am always quick to remind people in this chamber and elsewhere that, yes, TAFE is funded differently. It is funded at a higher rate and, because of that, there is work that I expect TAFE to do as our public training provider that I would not expect other training providers to do. I think TAFE in South Australia does that very well in terms of not just fee-free options but the extra wraparound support that it provides for people who are often disproportionately struggling with issues around maybe domestic and family violence or maybe poverty.

It can also be things like—and this is very well modelled at the Elizabeth campus and has been for many years—providing creche services for often single and young mums who are trying to get in and get access to training and do not have childcare options so they can go and do that. TAFE has a women's education program and it is the only TAFE program of its type in Australia. Yes, other TAFEs offer something like that, but the South Australian program is worthy of really special mention, I think, and I am very proud of the work that TAFE does in that respect as well.

I want to finish by saying that although I give my remarks today as a member of parliament who is proud to represent the north-eastern suburbs, and also as the Minister for Education, Training and Skills, I am also the father of three young daughters: two nine year olds and an 11 year old. When I listen to people like the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence talk about these issues, I think about what it would be like for my wife and me if one of our daughters fell into an abusive relationship. It would break our hearts to think that they could be in a situation like that where they were being abused in some way and where they felt they could not reach out for support or talk to people about it.

I think it is great that we are having motions like this and talking about it and making sure that it is something that we all call out in the privileged positions that we hold. I want to commend the motion and also acknowledge all the work that is done by people in this chamber every single day to bring attention to these issues.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence) (11:41): Thank you very much to the member for Unley for bringing this really important motion to this place, and to the member for Gibson, the Minister for Education and the member for Heysen who have spoken to it.

This year provides us with unprecedented opportunity to advance generational change as we go about tackling the horrific prevalence of domestic, family and sexual violence. This Domestic Violence Prevention Month gives us further shared opportunity to raise community awareness about domestic violence, its drivers, how we can help prevent it and the support available to those affected, and to call everyone to action.

As part of Domestic Violence Prevention Month, across the breadth of the nation candlelit vigils were held on 7 May—Domestic Violence Remembrance Day—including at Government House attended by many members of parliament, government officials, sector representatives, frontline workers and community members to honour those who have tragically lost their lives to violence. Last week's beautiful and deeply moving vigil enabled us to be together; to hold the women who we honour in our hearts; to stand with community members like Lizzie, who spoke so bravely and so powerfully about the murder of her beautiful sister; and to acknowledge our grief and our anger at the loss of too many South Australian women to domestic violence and the seemingly endless stories of harm and debilitating lifelong health and wellbeing impacts on those who experience it.

Together today in this house, we continue to honour all women who have been brutally killed by their partners or former partners: precious women, women who were loved, women who worked, contributed and lived amongst us. We hold their families and all their grieving loved ones in our collective arms and resolve to continue our efforts to stay the course until there is not one more.

We also recognise and closely hold courageous survivors of violence, including those currently experiencing it: the many women who are right now subject to terrible control and abuse, having their safety, autonomy and sense of self-worth stripped away; the many women for whom it is just too hard to come to a vigil or indeed any other event; and those for whom just continuing is difficult.

On Saturday, hundreds gathered and stood together here on the steps of parliament as part of the national What Were You Wearing? rallies to continue to show their support for the prevention and eradication of violence against women—again, to raise awareness and to encourage everyone to speak up, act and play their role and tirelessly demand change on violence and the misogyny that leads to it.

As I said to the rally on Saturday, our journey has been long and hard and sometimes deeply frustrating, but we must continue to strive for a future where every woman feels and absolutely is safe wherever she walks, wherever she works, whatever time of the day or night she is out, whatever she is wearing, when she is online and absolutely when she is at home. Where she is equally included to participate in community life, in our economy and decision-making bodies is so important because when we see women as powerful, strong and equal, and they are treated as such, it helps us to shift how women and the roles they can play are seen and helps us stamp out the disrespect that leads to violence. We have to be absolutely deliberate about encouraging women into all positions, to encouraging equality in our systems.

For too long, violence has been something that just happened out of sight, or something that just happens behind closed doors. We have rightly begun to change this to no longer have it seen as a private matter, and through continuing to speak up, continued rallies, discussions and continued actions we are together ensuring that times continue to change. This month encourages us to intensify our actions and it requires us to encourage those who are not yet acting, who are unclear on their role or have not yet accepted it, to get active and involved.

Preventing violence is everybody's responsibility. We all have a role to play and people and programs to help you play it. There are ways to have conversations that pull mates up when they disrespect women, resources you can access to give details about support, programs you can access that are being run in local sporting clubs, and ways that you can talk and act and send a message to community that violence and disrespect towards women is utterly unacceptable.

In your own minds you can question your thinking. You can help to shift stigma and shame to the perpetrators to whom that stigma and shame absolutely belongs. You can create environments and ways of being that empower people to speak up and act. Everybody, everyone has a multitude of ways in which they can get involved and those of us who have been on this journey for a long time are very happy to help you work out how. We need this movement for change to be bigger, louder and stronger than ever. We need to keep respecting those remarkable women who for many years have held this movement together, working at the frontline in services across our state, honour what they do and how they do it and absolutely back them in.

I urge everyone in this place to deeply listen to these experts and find out more from them about how you can help. And help everyone we must, because every time we take interest, every time we act with compassion, every time we ask a question, challenge behaviour, ensure our kids are not tuning in online to abhorrent, misogynist views perpetuated through the likes of Andrew Tate, and every time we offer support, we are refusing to accept the horrific, pervasive prevalence of domestic, family and sexual violence and we are making things better. And through each action we take we are saying that enough is enough and showing leadership about what will not be tolerated in our community.

The state government takes its role very seriously. We are determined to play our part, to act, and we are. We have and we will continue to progress significant domestic, family and sexual violence reform across prevention, intervention, response and recovery and healing, with significant legislative, investment, program and policy change already delivered. This includes introducing legislation to criminalise coercive control, passing legislation mandating electronic monitoring in bail conditions, enshrining 15 days paid domestic, family and sexual violence leave in the South Australian Fair Work Act, including the experience of domestic violence as a ground of discrimination in the Equal Opportunity Act, while also establishing crucial support systems through new prevention and recovery hubs, support for perpetrator intervention programs and court assistance services and through addressing housing insecurity.

We have taken huge steps forward, but we know that more needs to be done, that we must stay the course until there is not one more. Our Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence is well underway. Led by Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja, the commission is assessing all parts of our system and how our efforts across government, sector and community are coordinated. It is contemplating the terrible impact of DV on children, how we can best tackle those insidious emerging forms of online abuse, and the perpetuation of misogyny. It has the powers to recommend policy and legislative, administrative and structural reform.

Very importantly, this royal commission is giving courageous survivors and the loved ones of those who did not survive a chance to be heard. This commission is for them and their voices are at the heart of its work, and they will be amplified and acted upon. This royal commission is sending a very clear message about what we as a community stand for, and that is that we do not accept gender inequality, disrespect and violence toward women, we do not accept outdated and offensive gender stereotypes, and we know that every single death or act of harm as a result of gendered violence is preventable.

We know that not one person, one minister, one government can do this alone. We must all work together to truly see a generational shift to prevent and end this violence. This month and with this motion we are reminded to encourage everybody to think deeply about their sphere of influence and all they can do to contribute to change. I encourage everyone here to keep thinking about that and who else they can ask to be part of this movement and to keep going in this movement until there is, indeed, not one more.

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (11:51): I rise in support of this motion and also commend the member for Unley for bringing this to the house. Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month is a timely reminder of the urgent need to stand with survivors, remember those who have lost their lives and work collectively to prevent violence in all its forms. It is also an opportunity to shine a light on the vital work being done in the communities to support those affected and drive meaningful change.

In my electorate of Mount Gambier, there are two instrumental organisations doing just this—the Limestone Coast Family Violence Action Group and another called The Haven. Last week, members of our community gathered under the verandah of the Mount Gambier Library for a candlelit vigil, one of many held across the country to mark National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day, organised by the Limestone Coast Family Violence Action Group in partnership with our City of Mount Gambier council and Uniting Communities.

The vigil honoured the 14 women who have already lost their lives this year in Australia due to domestic and family violence. Community members stood side by side to light candles, share in a minute of silence and reflect on the toll this violence takes on individuals, families and also communities. This vigil has turned into an important annual event and is part of a broader effort by the Family Violence Action Group to raise awareness, educate the public and advocate for prevention. This group is made up of passionate local service providers, community members and government stakeholders. Together, they work to change attitudes, provide support and build a regional culture where violence is not tolerated.

Complementing this advocacy work is The Haven, a domestic violence support service located inside the Mount Gambier Library. The Haven was launched in 2021 as part of South Australia's network of regional safety hubs. It provides a welcoming, safe and confidential space for women and people of marginalised genders to access support and information.

Staffed by trained volunteers and delivered through partnership between the Office for Women, Centacare, and the City of Mount Gambier, The Haven offers practical on-ground assistance, whether it is connecting someone to legal services, counselling, housing support, or simply being there to listen. It is a model of accessible community-embedded care and an example of how local solutions can have a real impact.

Domestic violence is a social crisis that affects every community—urban, rural and regional. It is a whole of society issue and requires all of us to take responsibility for changing the norms and attitudes that allow this to persist. As fathers, brothers, partners and colleagues, we have a responsibility to speak up, to call out harmful behaviour, to listen and to believe, and to actively foster a culture of respect and accountability.

This motion rightly recognises that ending violence requires systematic action; that survivors deserve robust legal protections, access to support services and a society that believes them; and that violence is never acceptable, never excusable and must never be ignored. I thank the member for Unley for this motion and reaffirm my commitment to working alongside government, community leaders and organisations like the Limestone Coast Family Violence Action Group and The Haven to ensure that every person in our region can live free from fear and with the dignity, safety and respect they deserve. I commend the motion to the house.

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (11:55): I rise to make a very brief contribution to this motion brought by the member for Unley. I do want to acknowledge the member for Unley. In my time with him in this place, he has been a man who has always raised these issues and always been on the side of women in these particular issues. I want to commend him for that. I think that is worth acknowledging once again.

I missed some of the debate, but a lot of it has been quite stirring. I want to reflect on the member for Gibson. Other people have made the observation as well, but the member for Gibson made it very strongly, and I have heard her make it very strongly before, that it is important for men to speak up about these issues, whether we are talking to our friends, calling out sexist or misogynist behaviour, or whether, like me, you are a father of boys.

I have three sons, two of whom are under 10, and my wife and I think it is very important to have continual conversations about gender stereotypes, about violence against women, about consent. Those conversations can be difficult and complicated at times, but they are really important to have with our sons, so that we raise them to be excellent young men, like my oldest son is.

When I reflect on my brief time as a police officer, some 20-odd years ago—I have made this observation in the house before—the police, who are really at the frontline when domestic violence gets critical, often, without impugning anybody at all and certainly not the organisation, did not take domestic violence as seriously as they do now. I will not go into any anecdotes, but there was certainly a lack of recognition amongst some police officers of the importance of acting decisively on domestic violence, and I am pleased to say that that has changed very much over the last 20 years.

A lot of that was driven, it has to be said, by the late Detective Chief Superintendent Jo Shanahan, whom we remembered here several years ago, but also others in the organisation, including the commissioner and the deputy commissioner, who drove this over the last 10 or 20 years or so. We have seen, as a result, changes in legislation, and some of those the minister has gone through, whether it is interim intervention orders or things like MAPS, the Multi-Agency Protection Service, which is a great initiative. I have not seen the latest stats, but I understand it is working very well.

A point of pride for me, in my time as a less experienced backbencher in the Weatherill government, was raising the idea of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, which—perhaps due to my inexperience—did not get pushed along as much as it should have and was lost in the machinery of the Attorney-General's office for a while.

I want to acknowledge the work of the former Attorney-General, Vickie Chapman, in bringing the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme into being in this state. It is an excellent initiative, allowing women not only the opportunity to actively seek information about a potential partner but also to be told proactively by police when they may potentially be in danger. I am pleased that times have changed. It is up to all of us, particularly men, to ensure that those changes continue, and hopefully we can create a society where women truly are equal and truly are safe.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (11:59): I am truly thankful to those members who contributed to the debate: the member for Heysen, the member for Gibson, the Minister for Education, the Minister for Child Protection, the member for Mount Gambier, and the member for Elizabeth. It is not very often in this place that you see genuine concern and genuine resolve on a topic, and this topic unites us all.

I said in my speech that men must call it out when they see it, and so I will take the opportunity to call out what I was outraged about when I read the story about the member for MacKillop, charged on 14 April with three counts of assaulting his wife. In his statement to the media, he said, 'This is a private matter.' It is not a private matter. I was so pleased that so many members reiterated that in this place today: it is not a private matter. I challenge the member for MacKillop to come in here and rephrase and retract that statement and send a message to men that domestic violence is not a private matter, because it is not.

We have heard that from every speaker in this place this morning. It is very much a community matter, it is a public matter, it is a matter of interest. If somebody was arrested for a violent crime in any other situation and that person made a media statement saying that it was a private matter, the media would challenge them. There was no media challenge to the statement from the member for MacKillop that it was a private matter. I was flabbergasted that there was no challenge to that statement, so I am challenging that statement now, and I am challenging other men that when they see it, they call it out. I thank the parliament for its support, and I support the motion.

Motion carried.