Australia has just elected its most gender-diverse parliament ever, with a record number of women taking seats across both chambers. At least 63 women will sit in the House of Representatives alone — a shift that is not just symbolic, but powerful. It brings a critical opportunity to put women’s safety and equality at the centre of national policy, at a time when leadership is desperately needed.
Michelle Rowland’s appointment as Attorney-General marks a significant moment. With strong community insight and a legal background, she steps into one of the most consequential portfolios for women’s safety and justice. We urge her to lead with a focus on systemic reform, lived experience and frontline expertise.
The outgoing Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus KC, championed reforms which have and will continue to make a significant difference to women seeking safety and justice in Australia. He not only lifted funding for specialised, trauma-informed legal services for women, but he also changed the Family Law Act to prioritise the interests of children and ensure family and domestic violence is properly considered in property disputes. His leadership has led to the establishment of pilot legal services for victim-survivors of sexual assault, and investment to expand these across the country. He recognised legal assistance as fundamental to gender equality. That important foundation must now be built upon.
In the lead-up to the election, both major parties made strong domestic violence commitments — a long-overdue acknowledgment of the crisis gripping communities. Labor pledged $1.2 billion for crisis and transitional housing and vowed to close legal and financial loopholes exploited by perpetrators. The Coalition proposed expanding emergency accommodation and increasing penalties for repeat offenders.
These commitments are welcome and urgently needed. Each week, specialist women’s legal services are forced to turn away about 1,000 women due to lack of funding. Every statistic represents a woman seeking safety and justice. We cannot afford to fail them.
But promises alone are not enough. Structural change must follow. The names and faces of women lost to violence filled headlines before the election. For those of us on the frontline, this is a daily, devastating reality. Violence against women is not a niche issue. It affects our friends, our colleagues, our neighbours. We must keep political attention sharply focussed on real solutions.
We are heartened by the increasing number of women in cabinet, including Katy Gallagher, who continues as Finance Minister and Minister for Women and has long championed action on gender equity and safety, and Clare O’Neil, serving again as Minister for Housing and Homelessness. Anne Aly has been promoted to cabinet as Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Amanda Rishworth will take on the role of Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Tanya Plibersek becomes the new Minister for Social Services. Ged Kearney has also been appointed to the newly created role of Assistant Minister for Social Services and the Prevention of Family Violence. These portfolios are critical to improving the lives of women. But political representation is only the beginning. The real challenge lies in turning promises into lasting, structural reform.
Most Australians aren’t shouting on social media. They’re quietly hoping their daughter and grandchildren make it home safely from a custody swap, that their neighbour gets the help she needs, and that the system won’t fail them if they ever need to ask for help. Safety shouldn’t depend on where you live, how much you earn, or who you know. But right now, for too many women, it still does.
The government must prioritise financial abuse, one of the most persistent forms of coercive control. The non-payment of child support is a clear example. It traps women in poverty and ongoing contact with abusers. Current enforcement is weak and easily manipulated. Reform must close these loopholes and deliver women the financial stability they need to rebuild.
Specialist women’s legal services — embedded in communities and trusted by women — must play a central role in designing and delivering responses to gender-based violence. We bring deep expertise and a track record of effective, evidence-based support.
Legal assistance is not a luxury. It is essential safety infrastructure. Without it, women are left to navigate complex, hostile systems alone.
This election result delivered more than new faces. It delivered a mandate for progress, and with that comes a responsibility to ensure policies are not just responsive but transformative.
Women and children across Australia are watching. So are we. Let’s meet this moment with courage, clarity and commitment.
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