Motions

Domestic Violence

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:58): I seek leave to move Notices of Motion: Private Business, No. 1 in amended form.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: I move:

That this this council—

1. Recognises that May is domestic violence prevention month;

2. Recognises and condemns the appalling prevalence of domestic violence in our community; and

3. Calls on the state government to take all action possible to prevent the scourge of domestic violence.

The reason I have moved this motion in amended form is that there was an additional phrase in this motion that referred to the enactment of something that has already passed. I move this motion because we cannot allow the impunity, silence and stigma associated with domestic violence to continue and in fact escalate.

I may sound like a broken record as this is not the first time that I have spoken in this chamber to reiterate the importance of eradicating domestic violence in our community, but I will continue to raise this as a matter of importance because the behaviour is abhorrent. Maria Hagias, CEO of Women's Safety Services SA, said:

…all women and children have the right to live in safety, and that both domestic and family violence are a fundamental breach of human rights.

Home should be a sanctuary, yet it was reported in the 2016 Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey that, out of over 15,500 females who responded to the survey, one in six had experienced violence by a partner since the age of 15 and one in four had experienced emotional abuse by a partner. The survey concluded that women in Australia are almost three times more likely to have experienced partner violence than men and are eight times more likely to experience sexual violence.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has also identified in its report on Recorded Crime—Victims, Australia, 2017, that 126 homicide-related offences were attributed to domestic violence in 2017. One death due to domestic violence is one too many. My Labor colleagues and I are aware of this and recognise the previous Labor government's proud history of working towards the eradication of domestic violence. This included the reformation of intervention orders in 2009, the release of the 'Taking a stand: responding to domestic violence' paper and the release of the Domestic Violence Discussion Paper in 2016.

One of the major challenges, as identified by the UN, for developing efforts to prevent and end violence against women is lack of funds, for without adequate resources how are we to bring real and significant change in this area? How are we to help those most vulnerable? We need to show that we as policymakers of the state understand that domestic violence is more than just an altercation between a man and woman. It is not limited to those who are legally married, nor is it limited to physical contact. We need to counteract the fears of retaliation and stigma, and the risks of experiencing shame and rejection from families and communities, which are commonly known challenges for movements against violence against women.

Fortunately, in recent years there has been a drive for change within communities across the globe, garnering more visibility on the issue. There has been a serious drive in our state as well. Many in this chamber will have seen the recent billboards in protest at the federal government's resistance to legislate 10 days of paid domestic violence leave, where advocates have made a clear statement that without this leave lives are at risk.

On that note, I am also certain that many in this chamber will be attending the vigil tonight, hosted by the Coalition of Women's Domestic Violence Services of South Australia. This event is to remember the women and children who have lost their lives because of domestic and family violence. Those attending the event will be reiterating the message that domestic and family violence is never tolerated and that South Australians are united in coming together to make our state and homes safe for all.

Having government officials attend these events is not enough. We have a responsibility to take every action possible to prevent the scourge of domestic violence. I am pleased with some of the government's efforts in this area, in particular the implementation of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, which aims to help people who may be at risk of domestic violence find out if their current or former partner has a history of violence or other relevant offences. It reduces risks posed to people by providing information in relation to their partner's history of violence to allow decisions to be made about their ongoing safety and relationship.

I am equally disappointed with some of the decisions made by the government to block legislation that would support those experiencing domestic violence or discrimination against those who suffer its impact. The Equal Opportunity (Domestic Violence) Amendment Bill would have done just that and was a combination of many, many conversations with domestic violence service providers, with people experiencing domestic violence, with advocacy organisations, with unions and with the Working Women's Centre, who held a collective desire to see this legislation through.

It is clear that our job is not over. We must continue to work on programs that will ensure that all women and children in our state can live free from the fear and suffering that violence can inflict. In fact, we must do more work to change the perceptions and views of how we see the role of women in our society as a whole. I look forward to continued efforts between all members in this place to build further momentum and engagement with the tireless activists for women's rights in our state, to create meaningful opportunities and secure commitment to end violence against women.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.J. Stephens.