Tuesday, 11 August 2026

 Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Education, Minister for Skills and Training, Minister for First Peoples, Minister for Women and Gender Equality) (14:25): This side of the house knows that when women thrive families, communities and workplaces benefit. This is why we have made significant investments to ensure, for example, that women have access to health care. It is why we have invested to boost women’s workforce participation. It is why we have invested at record levels in women’s safety. Family violence takes many forms, some overt but some less so. Coercive control is an insidious behaviour that leads to women feeling isolated and living in fear. This is why we are making coercive control a standalone offence, to make it clear that this behaviour is a crime and those found guilty of it will face serious penalties. We are also ensuring that victim-survivors do not face discrimination just because they took steps to keep themselves safe.

Victoria has led the nation in family violence reform and in progressing gender equality. We have made gains in women’s representation in senior leadership roles and in male-dominated industries. But the truth is we still have a lot more work to do. Reporting by the commissioner for gender equality in the public sector has found that too many women continue to experience sexual harassment at work. We know the gender pay gap sadly persists, and that is why the Carroll Labor government remains committed to the important work that Victoria has been driving. Labor will always protect gender equality and stand with victim-survivors of family violence. We do not make excuses for family violence like One Nation does. We do not make excuses. We do not support scrapping paid parental leave. Labor backs it every step of the way. We do not support scrapping paid parental leave. The real question, though, is: does the Leader of the Opposition?