Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Bilal El-Hayek calls for summit following domestic violence-related deaths

The tragic deaths of two women has sparked calls from the Canterbury-Bankstown mayor for an urgent roundtable summit following the spate of domestic violence-related deaths across Sydney.

The tragic deaths of two southwest Sydney women has sparked calls from the Canterbury-Bankstown mayor for an urgent domestic violence roundtable summit.

The tragic deaths of two women has sparked calls from the Canterbury-Bankstown mayor for an urgent roundtable summit following the spate of domestic violence-related deaths across Sydney.

Bankstown aged care worker Amira Moghnieh, 30, was allegedly bashed to death by her estranged ex-husband and was found unconscious inside a Bexley home on July 5.

A week later, Christine Rakic, 50, was found dead in her home in Rooty Hill after an alleged domestic dispute on July 11 where her ex-husband was later arrested.

Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Bilal-El Hayek lit a candle in memory of the two women at Wednesday’s council meeting and said their deaths were “not isolated cases”.

“Their death has sparked outrage in the community, with the NSW Police Commissioner

Karen Webb labelling domestic violence “an epidemic” and vowing to do everything in her power to fix it,” he said.

A mother-of-three Amira Moghnieh, 30, who was allegedly murdered at Bexley on Wednesday. Pic Facebook.

He said the commissioner was “not wrong to label it an epidemic” as there had been 15 domestic-violence related deaths recorded in NSW since the start of 2023.

“Police have revealed they answer something like 140,000 calls a year, or around 400 calls a day,” he said.

Christine Rakic, who was found dead in a Rooty Hill home. Picture: Facebook.

Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Bilal El-Hayek.

But Mr El-Hayek said in reality there were countless calls that weren’t made – due to family shame, financial or cultural matters.

“I refer to them as the silent sufferers, victims who go about their daily work, putting on a brave face,” he said.

Mr El-Hayek said it was important to remember that domestic violence was “not only behind the statistics but behind closed doors”.

“The impact it has on families, children, loved ones and friends, psychological impacts and ramifications which can last for many, many years, and even their entire lives,” he said.

Despite the work of Canterbury-Bankstown Council to address domestic violence – including raising awareness through campaigns with advocacy groups – Mr El-Hayek called on council to “do more”.

The motion for the roundtable was carried and would include invitations for domestic violence advocates, women’s organisations, religious, spiritual leaders and police “so we can hear their stories and issues, identify what more we can do to stop this now and advocate loudly on their behalf”.