The federal Greens have called for a sweeping range of new policies to improve women’s safety in Australia, including a plan to fully fund domestic violence services, consent education and prevention programs, and trial new initiatives like a domestic violence disclosure scheme and a trauma recovery centre.
According to the new policy release, the Greens will invest $12 billion over twelve years to fund frontline domestic violence services, and introduce $10,000 grants for survivors of abusive relationships, and 10 days’ paid domestic violence leave.
The party will also invest $477 over four years in the national rollout of Our Watch’s Respectful Relationships program in public schools.
Other initiatives include trialling a national disclosure scheme to provide details of an abusive partner’s history, and a five-year pilot recovery program at the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre.
The Greens also support the adoption of all recommendations in Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins’ Respect@Work report, as well as the Set the Standard report.
Senator Larissa Waters, deputy leader of the Greens and spokesperson on women, said it was time to move beyond empty promises on addressing women’s safety.
“Australia is in an epidemic of gendered violence and harassment. Women as young as 12 report sexual harassment in public. One in three Australian women experience abuse in their lifetime,” Senator Waters said.
“First Nations women, women from culturally diverse backgrounds, women in regional areas, older women, LGBTIQ+ women, and women with a disability are even more likely to experience violence.”
The Greens also said they support a detailed National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children, and a standalone National Plan to End Violence Against First Nations Women and Children, designed by First Nations women.
“The Morrison government’s draft National Plan is big on promises, short on detail and largely silent on funding, which is perhaps to be expected from a government that favours rhetorical flourishes over concrete action when it comes to protecting women,” Senator Waters said.
“Frontline services have been very clear that they need $1 billion a year simply to meet existing demand and ensure that no woman seeking help is turned away, but the government stumped up only a quarter of that in last year’s budget.
“Talk is cheap, and women are done with empty rhetoric. It’s time for action.”