Hon Helen Morton MLC — WA welcomes action plan on family violence

Child Protection Minister Helen Morton has welcomed the launch of the Second Action Plan (2013-2016) of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (2010-2022) by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).

Launched by Prime Minister Tony Abbott in Sydney yesterday, it is the second of four action plans that will drive the National Plan and contains strategies to strengthen existing initiatives, as well as introduces new programs and actions to reduce violence against women and their children.

“This plan is an important step forward in our collaborative efforts to combat this serious problem,” Mrs Morton said.

“In our State there were 28 domestic homicides during 2012-13, where the victim and offender had a family or domestic relationship. This violence is also a major contributor to women and children becoming homeless. While we have made good steps forward regarding the reporting of incidents we know more needs to be done to provide safety and support for women and children who are victims of violence.

“Reducing violence against women and their children can only be achieved by challenging the attitudes and behaviours that allow violence to occur. Working together, united by this cause, we can create change in our communities.

“The Western Australian Government is committed to making the changes needed to create a safe place for all women and children, working in partnership across all sectors as well as with the community to achieve this.”

The Second Action Plan contains a range of practical actions for improving women’s safety, as well as the five national priorities which are:
Driving the whole of community action to prevent violence
Understanding diverse experiences of violence
Supporting innovative services and integrated systems
Improving perpetrator interventions
Continuing to build the evidence base
This week also saw the Law Reform Commission’s report, Enhancing Family and Domestic Violence Laws, tabled in State Parliament. The Western Australian Government is currently reviewing the 73 recommendations, including new family violence protection orders for domestic violence victims.