National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:02): A supplementary: given the focus on domestic violence at the Riverland country cabinet and the Premier saying on ABC radio at the cabinet that domestic violence would be front and centre of his government's agenda, why have you not committed to full partnership of the national Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children, as you as minister committed that you would do in this financial year on 14 November in this place?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:03): I thank the honourable member for her question and have already put on the record that this government does take domestic violence extremely seriously. We have led reforms here in South Australia. We are considered leading the nation at many levels. We have undergone considerable legislative reform in terms of reforms to sexual assault and rape legislation, the introduction of intervention orders, and increasing police power to intervene in domestic violence situations on the spot.

We have run significant Don't Cross The Line campaigns which are about public education and awareness, as well as providing a good reference point for victims who are looking for services and support. We have put in place a designated position in the Coroner's Court to review domestic violence cases, which has been highly successful and is doing very important work in that space and, in fact, is the envy of many other jurisdictions who have far more complex and larger review panels but are not as effective and efficient as the model that we have introduced here in this state.

We are very proud of the number of really important initiatives that we have led, such as the Family Safety Framework. South Australia has led that model of case management and intervention for those women who are assessed as high risk, and we now see other jurisdictions copying that model and adopting that model. They might be calling it other names but it is based on what we do here.

We should be very proud of what we do. We have also made a major contribution at a national level. We have provided real leadership around the table there, particularly in leading the progress on the first stage of the national action plan to protect women against violence and now the second phase, which I was able to speak about in this place both yesterday and the day before. Of course, I indicated that in response to that this government has contributed $5,000 of financial assistance to the foundation and further requests are under consideration.

The Hon. T.A. Franks interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Franks, would you please allow the minister to finish her answer.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Thank you, Mr President.

The Hon. T.A. Franks: Well, she's not answering it.

The PRESIDENT: She is answering in the way she sees fit, so allow that to happen.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Of course, the—

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Point of order: I wish to advise that the minister has been on her feet for over 10 minutes answering this question and a supplementary and I think it is about time you asked her to actually answer the question.

The PRESIDENT: Minister, try to be as brief as possible, but continue.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Thank you for your advice, Mr President. This is an area that I am obviously passionate about and clearly this government has achieved a great deal in this space and I do find it hard not to talk about it at every opportunity that I can.