E&OE TRANSCRIPT
Topics: Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence; Commissioner Cronin’s Yearly Report; Funding for legal centres; Superannuation on Paid Parental Leave.
PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: Australia has been given its first progress update on the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. The plan aims to end gendered violence in one generation and the report found it has given governments a clear focus on how to move forward. But Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Michaela Cronin says the service system is overwhelmed, warning funding needs to keep up with progress. Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth joins me now. Welcome to the program.
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Great to be with you.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: Commissioner Cronin wants domestic violence perpetrators tracked with the same forensic attention as suspected terrorists. Do you support that?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Firstly, I would say what Commissioner Cronin was really clear about is this needed the same level of focus and attention as things like terrorism. And I have to say that as a government, we've elevated this to be a national priority. But when it comes to, for example, sharing data and information about high-risk perpetrators in particular, that was a decision out of National Cabinet to do better when it comes to sharing information across jurisdictions and making sure that states and territories are working together. And I know that the Data and Digital Ministers are doing that, looking at how they can better share information and share data. But I think there is another really important message that Commissioner Cronin made. And if you think about men's behaviour, she really talked about – and, you know, there's, I guess, a range of perpetration – actually ensuring that men and boys are engaged and that actually there are activities taken around prevention and early intervention to stop violence from escalating. So, I think when we look at perpetration, we have to make sure, absolutely, we need to be sharing information. And I know that NSW has strengthened their bail laws, as one example, but we also need to keep the focus on prevention and intervention and ensuring that men that do say ‘I'm worried about my behaviour’ can get the help that they need.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: Minister, I just want to pick you up again. You say we've elevated it to be a national priority, but I asked specifically, do you agree with her that it should be treated the same as we treat suspected terrorists? Because that's not just a national priority.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, it is a national priority. And what I'm saying is that when you're looking at a significant number of women experiencing family and domestic violence. This is an epidemic. You know, when you're looking at one in three women and children having experienced violence in their lifetime, this is a very big and broad societal challenge that everyone has. I'm not sure you could say that everyone has a role in combating terrorism, but everyone has a role in combating family and domesticity.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: Commissioner Cronin is talking right now and she says, we take terrorism around the country and around the world very seriously. We put a great deal of targeted resources into thinking about how to prevent terrorist acts. What we need to do more of is translating those tools to situations where women are being murdered. Do you agree and do you think there need to be changes to ensure that happens in labour language and approach?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Firstly, I would say in terms of seriousness, absolutely. I think this is a serious issue which I've spent almost every day as a Minister thinking about, taking action in. If you have a look, for example, just at the legislation before the parliament, today we have the Attorney-General introducing legislation to ensure that family and domestic violence can be considered in financial settlements in the family court. Yesterday, we passed legislation to ban or make criminal sharing of deep fake pornography. There is legislation happening right now to show that the seriousness we take on this. Obviously gender equality is one of the key drivers and our Government has been focused on that. So, I think we are taking it seriously in terms of the high-risk perpetration. As I said, the Data Ministers are looking at how they better can share information on that. But absolutely, we do need to do more investment in prevention, early intervention and particularly engaging with boys and men. And one of the things that Commissioner Cronin talked about was not just increased investment in specialised family and domestic violence services, but there is a question about how do we leverage our doctors, our police force, all of those frontline services that come into contact with family and domestic violence every day. And that is a really important area that we do need to work on and we do need to do more.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: If you're just tuning in, you're listening to Radio National Breakfast. Our guest is the Social Services Minister, Amanda Rishworth. Minister, community legal centres, Independent MPs and the Greens say the Government can do more to address the problem right now by increasing funding immediately. Full Stop CEO Karen Bevans says more resources are needed – a boost of about $1 billion a year. Will that money be committed?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Firstly, I would say that the Attorney-General has been focused very much on this and that's why there was an over $40 million immediate boost in the most recent Budget. But these were five-year agreements set by the previous government with states and territories. This is a joint responsibility and I think it's important to remind your listeners that states and territories have joined with the Commonwealth on the National Plan, signed up to it. So, I know that the Attorney-General is working very hard about what we do next in terms of that legal partnerships agreement with states and territories, and I know he'll keep working very hard on that. And we've always recognised that where we can invest more, we will look to do that. But I need to…
PATRICIA KARVELAS: [Interrupts]… Minister, I need to say that there is a sense of urgency around this when we hear about what the previous government did and five-year plans. I respect that you have processes, but when services on the ground who want to help women now say they haven't got enough, Minister, surely there needs to be an immediate shift.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, that's why we put extra funding in this budget for legal services directly.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: But they're saying it's not enough.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: It is a partnership. It is a partnership. States and territories need to come to the agreement as well and that is what the Attorney-General is working through and that's what I continue to work through. We’ve put an extra $3.4 billion over our two and a half years in Government to actually fund many initiatives. It's 85 initiatives with funding attached to look at how we address family and domestic violence, frontline services in prevention, early intervention, frontline response and healing and recovery, and we'll always look at how we can do more. But there was funding in the budget.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: I'm not saying there wasn’t. I'm talking about funding it to the level that's required. Now, you make the point that states and territories need to do their part here. What are you calling on them to do? What levers can the states pull right now?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: States and territories have all signed up to our Action Plans, along with the commonwealth, and Action 9 is improving justice systems and, of course, ensuring and supporting police to actually provide trauma informed culture and safe responses for victim survivors. And so that's something that I know Police Ministers have been working on and something that they can continue to work towards. And this is a partnership. So, we have agreed on those Action Plans. All states and territories have agreed on those Action Plans. Of course, training, workforce, that is really critical as well, and looking at other service systems. So, there are things that we can do. But this issue around family and domestic violence, it has been a generational problem and we need to come up with solutions and we are working every day. Like I said, there are system solutions as well, like the Family Court. And as I said, there's legislation in the parliament today. We've already changed the legislation to ensure that the child's interests are at the heart of Family Court decisions rather than the presumption of shared care. All of these elements add up to actually addressing this very complex issue.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: Minister, today you'll also receive another significant report into domestic violence – the Rapid Review. It will be released publicly tomorrow. Can you give listeners a brief understanding of what the review is looking at and what kind of findings you're anticipating?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: The Rapid Review was commissioned out of National Cabinet when the Prime Minister called a dedicated National Cabinet to look at the issue of family, domestic and sexual violence. And this review was looking at what and what extra actions can we do to bolster the National Plan and what extra activities we can undertake, particularly around the prevention and particularly targeted prevention. And so I expect that there's been an independent process. They've put together a range of recommendations and we will be receiving the full report later today.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: Minister, it's the last sitting day of the fortnight. Laws that will allow for parents to get 12 per cent superannuation while using Paid Parental Leave will be introduced to Federal Parliament today. Do you have the support to get it over the line?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, I certainly hope so. We haven't had the hand declared by the opposition on paying super on Paid Parental Leave. They were a little lukewarm when we announced it, but I hope that they've come around. This is an incredibly important piece of legislation, is the third tranche of reforms to improve Paid Parental Leave in this country. This is about ensuring that there is a boost to people’s super. That there isn't that financial penalty, I think when someone takes the Paid Parental Leave. And so we hope that this legislation will go through the Parliament. I would urge everyone in the Senate in particular…
PATRICIA KARVELAS: [Interrupts]… Have you briefed the opposition and others?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: We offer briefings on a regular basis for these pieces of legislation. The details are out there, were out there in April and they were in the budget in May, and we will offer a briefing to the opposition and all members about this. But it's a pretty simple concept. Do you support paying 12 per cent, which will be the superannuation guarantee rate, on government paid parental leave?
PATRICIA KARVELAS: Minister, thank you for your time.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Thank you.