Page 59 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 10 February 2015
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In an area that I am just beginning to fully understand—the importance and complexity of WESNET—the Women’s Services Network provided safety net technology safety training for professionals to assist women and girls experiencing violence to increase their privacy and safety online.
We are also working with men who commit, or are at risk of committing, violence to change their behaviour. The working with the man project provided funding to the Canberra Men’s Centre for the specialist intensive supported accommodation, coordinated case management and counselling intervention program.
The second implementation of the “ACT prevention of violence against women and children strategy 2011-2017—our responsibility: ending violence against women and children” is being renewed and will include an increased focus on linkages between domestic and family violence and the human services blueprint. The ACT government is also working alongside other states and territories on the second action plan under the national plan to reduce violence against women and their children 2010-22.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, what is the ACT government doing to ensure that services meet the needs of women and children who are experiencing violence?
MS BERRY: The ACT government is committed to meeting the needs of women and children through joined-up systems and services. I also welcome the national focus on domestic and family violence, and in particular the announcement of Rosie Batty as the 2015 Australian of the Year. I think many Canberrans were, like me, touched by the compassion and resolve she has shown in her efforts to make meaningful change to combating violence against women and children.
I am impressed by her calm resolve, because personally I have been angry. I have been angry about the cuts that have been made by the federal Liberal government to services that go to assisting women experiencing violence. I am angry about the uncertainty facing homelessness funding, and I am angry that there are voices in our community who still do not understand or refuse to recognise the cause of this problem. But I am also hopeful that there is national momentum to combat this problem.
The decision of the federal Liberal government to establish the national advisory panel on violence against women will provide a focus and an important opportunity for experts to shape the federal government policy. Here in the ACT we are renewing our commitment to full participation of women in all areas of our community. We all have a responsibility not just to speak up against violence but to tackle its social and structural causes. As the newly appointed Minister for Women and the Minister assisting the Chief Minister on Social Inclusion and Equality, I look forward to working with all members in this place to rise to the challenge.
One of the primary objectives in the ACT prevention of violence against women and children strategy is joined-up systems and services. The Justice and Community
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