Wednesday, 15 October 2025

 Juliana ADDISON (Wendouree) (09:50): Following the murders of Rebecca Young, Samantha Murphy and Hannah McGuire, the Ballarat community made it very clear that we want to stop violence against women and girls before it starts. That is why Respect Ballarat is so important. Respect Ballarat, formerly known as the saturation model, is a community-wide approach to preventing gendered violence by embedding respectful attitudes and behaviours across every part of daily life where people live, work, learn and play. I want to recognise the leadership of Helen Bolton and Respect Victoria, whose evidence-based approach and unwavering commitment to primary prevention will drive real change in my community. I also want to thank the Ballarat co-design group for their important work and local insights and experience. Our partnership with the Ballarat Foundation will see $1 million in community grants provided to local organisations to deliver practical, prevention-focused projects. Thank you to the minister for her strong support for Respect Ballarat. This investment matters because we know the devastating impact that violence has on women, children and their families. It matters to every woman and girl who deserves to feel safe in her home, her workplace, her sports club and across our community at hospitality venues, on public transport and wherever she chooses to go. We know that the prevention of violence against women and girls is possible. We know that by investing in education, in community leadership and in cultural change we can break the cycle of violence and we can build a future where respect is the norm and safety is a right.