Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-09-27 Daily Xml

Contents

Domestic and Family Violence

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:52): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Attorney-General about domestic and family violence.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: As a significant male leader in our community, what does the Attorney see as his role in addressing the scourge of domestic and family violence?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:53): I thank the honourable member for her question. It is a very good question, and I know it is something the honourable member was very committed to in her time in government, and I pay tribute to her for that. It is something that dramatically affects the lives of predominantly women in our society. We have a state that has much to offer people, but there are those in our community who, through a variety of reasons—and as a victim of domestic violence is one of those—don't enjoy what our state has to offer as fully as they should in our society.

All of us, I think, have a role in calling out practices that can lead to precursors of domestic and family violence, but as members of parliament I think we have that additional responsibility to reflect and to lead societal attitudes to make changes. Certainly, it is one of my areas as Attorney-General that is even more so in terms of the ability to work with my colleagues to bring about change in this area.