Page 4204 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
four years. The levy has funded some really important programs such as the establishment of the Coordinator-General for Family Safety, providing new money for interpreting services, the DPP and national law reform, additional funding for front-line services to meet increasing demands and new programs such as room for change, to name a few.
As I reported in the safer families statement earlier this year, there is much progress to be proud of and much work to do. And we remain committed to continuing this important work. We as a government and as a community are striving together to meet the needs of those who are impacted by violence and we have acknowledged that the system is not perfect. It is not wrong; it is just not completely right. It is working hard for those who need it and, importantly, we know what many acknowledge that there is no easy or quick fix for such a complex and challenging issue, particularly when we know people want different solutions and not just a mainstream legal response all the time.
When I started doing this work to try to fix the issue I was told by the experts and leaders in the sector that you just cannot throw money at this and expect it to be resolved overnight; the change will take time. Ultimately it needs to be sustained work for generational change when you consider that we are talking about changing the behaviour of people in their homes.
We will not give up, though, and the point is: we need to keep trying new things. That is why reports like the recent DVPC report about improving supports for young children and people are so important, and we welcome them. The expert advice of these people from the sector is that the system could be better, and these are the sorts of things you might do to make it better, make it more robust. We cannot be afraid of these reports or shirk their findings. No-one should seek to politicise them. We do not want anyone to be hesitant of commissioning similar reports or participating in meetings like the extraordinary meeting because of the realities that it might raise.
I would also like to acknowledge that the extraordinary meeting in April was attended by a group of committed policymakers and leaders from across the ACT: several ministers, there were four in attendance at that meeting, many directors-general, CEOs and community sector leaders, front-line workers, public servants and people with lived experience. The calibre of attendees was a testament to the work that the DVPC had done in the lead-up to this meeting. But it also evident that those who attended are committed to ongoing change in how we can do better.
I move the amendment in my name, which I have had circulated:
Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, substitute:
“(1) notes that:
(a) domestic and family violence negatively affects many who are exposed to it, including children;
(b) children can be affected whether they are victims of the violence or are witnesses to it (including merely overhearing it);
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video