Domestic and Family Violence

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:44): Absolutely arising from the original answer. With responsibility for the status of women, as you are the minister, what have you done as the minister to ensure all your colleagues understand the pledge that is available tonight to sign, and what action have you taken in this leadership role?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:44): There's a range of things that fall into my responsibilities, which includes ensuring that we have workplace programs which apply to public sector agencies. In terms of the 125^th report that we tabled a couple of years ago, we made some similar recommendations there. I think it's important to note that, particularly in terms of the White Ribbon movement, which is now under a different auspice, it is a men-led process.

For a very long time, women have been the ones who have had to drive the awareness and understanding of the impacts that certain behaviours have on women. My understanding is that the event that is organised for this evening is organised by the Assistant Minister for Domestic and Family Violence Prevention, Carolyn Power, and includes at least one male colleague. That is in reflection of the fact that these movements also need to have men driving them. We can't do it alone.