Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 3204 ..

MS TUCKER (11.56), in reply: I thank members for their support of this important legislation. As members have pointed out, it is an issue of great concern to the community; it is an issue which has huge financial costs to the community; it is an issue which has huge social costs to the community. While we do not have clear data on exactly how much of this sort of violence is still occurring in our society - and that is one of the issues that we have to actually see addressed as well - we know that there can be between $10m and $29m in direct costs to government in the ACT as a result of domestic violence.

I was interested in Mr Humphries's suggestion that he might prefer to see serious consideration given to recommendation 10 of the Community Law Reform Committee's Report No. 11. It does actually raise an interesting issue because it is saying that consideration should be given to amending section 4 by replacing the existing grounds for a protection order with the single ground that the respondent has engaged in conduct in respect of the aggrieved person which constitutes domestic violence under this Act. Careful reading of this report shows that it is an issue of how we define domestic violence. The Greens did not feel they had the resources to take on actually looking at that definition, because it is very critical and it would have to be definitely looked at if you wanted to pick up recommendation 10. I am certainly interested in being involved in that discussion in the future. But what we have proposed here is basic recommendations which will, I believe, increase the protection of people who are in a situation where they are victims of violence - whether they be men or women.

I note Mr Moore's point about some men in our community feeling threatened by this. I received a number of calls to my office after I tabled this. Probably those calls were coming from men who did have these feelings of concern. Women are mostly victims of domestic violence. I recognise that some men are. In fact, recently I did receive a call from one man who was a victim of violence in a domestic situation, actually not from a woman but from his father. There are all sorts of situations where this can be going on.

I think the fundamental issue here is that we seem to still have a view in our community that if violence occurs within a relationship it is seen as somehow different from other violence. The violence in the domestic situation is explained as problems of individuals and, therefore, justified to some degree. This attitude is still apparent at all levels of society, including the judiciary and many governments. I am really pleased that this parliament and this Government are saying very clearly that this is not the case, that violence within a domestic situation, within a relationship, is just as unacceptable as violence outside. It has a very important symbolic value, I believe, that we are unanimous in supporting these changes.

I also want to acknowledge the work of the Community Law Reform Committee in the area of domestic violence, because they have come up with two very important and significant reports. I do hope to see government pursue further the implementation of these reports. I have heard what Mr Humphries has said. He has some reservations, but we can debate those in detail. Once again, I thank members for their support for this very important legislation.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .