Wednesday, 15 May 2024

 Vicki WARD (Eltham – Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Employment) (14:33): When women are not safe, they are not healthy. Women have the right to be healthy and safe everywhere, especially in the sanctuary of their homes. An Australian woman has lost her life due to violence every four days this year. The violence has to stop. Rosie Batty spoke yesterday about her book Hope and her journey over the last 10 years since the murder of her son Luke, murdered by his father, the person Rosie has said loved Luke more than anyone. Rosie reminded us:

Family violence happens to everybody, no matter how nice your house is or how intelligent you are.

Rosie also spoke with pride of the work of this government since the royal commission, a nearly $4 billion investment, work this government continues to do with the $211 million invested in this budget. We are also investing more than $18 million to support the critical work of women’s health services to prevent and identify family violence and help women access the support they need. At the grassroots is where good, important work can be done, and our women’s health services are exceptionally good at working with communities to make a difference to people’s lives.

For generations family violence was not considered a problem. It was seen as a woman’s problem, a problem people did not talk about. There was a lot of victim blaming. Our royal commission, the first in the nation, shone the brightest light on the horror of family violence. This government is investing in this work every single day. We know that every person in the state has a role to play in driving down family violence and creating a state where we have respect and equality. We all have a role to play in prevention, including the Allan Labor government, and we are committed to preventing family violence before it starts so that all Victorians can be safe, healthy and free from violence.

Jade Benham: On a point of order, Speaker –

The SPEAKER: I am sorry, member for Mildura, we are in the middle of question time. It is not the time to raise a point of order. I am happy to take the point of order after question time.

John Pesutto: Further on the point of order, Speaker, the member for Mildura was not even heard.

The SPEAKER: The member for Mildura will be heard after question time. I will allow the point of order after question time.

John Pesutto: Speaker, may I ask, are you aware of the point of order that she was going to make?

The SPEAKER: No, I am not aware of the point. You are not to ask me questions, Leader of the Opposition. We are in the middle of question time. We will continue with question time. The member for Mildura may raise a point of order at the end of question time.