Thursday, 30 November 2023

Family violence

Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (10:10): On Friday I joined the new mayor of Cardinia Shire Council Cr Jack Kowarzik, Cr Jeff Springfield and Cr Graeme Moore, along with Minister Shing, in Pakenham for the walk against violence. It was an absolutely unbelievable event, with hundreds and hundreds of people in Pakenham walking the streets crying out for change, for safe children, safe families and an end to violence against women. The next day was White Ribbon Day, which is the international day against gender-based violence against women. This is something that the community is crying out for. I spoke to the Orange Door while I was there in Pakenham, and I was saddened to hear that in one week they had 200 referrals of family violence from Victoria Police across Cardinia and Casey shires. I just want to use this opportunity to say that I do not think it is enough to march. I do not think it is enough to just wear an orange T-shirt and have a photo, although those things are good. We need to see law reform, and specifically the law reform I want to see – and I want to see it on the agenda for next year – is the reform on stalking. The Victorian Law Reform Commission the year before last tabled 45 recommendations, and none of those things have been done yet, so I just want to use this opportunity to raise it and say it is time for change.