Royal commission top of urgent domestic violence meeting agenda

A potential royal commission into domestic violence and the role social media plays in sharing misogynistic content will be discussed at emergency NSW cabinet meeting on Friday.

A potential royal commission into domestic violence and the role social media plays in sharing misogynistic content will be at the top of discussions at an emergency cabinet meeting being held by the Minns government on Friday morning.

The government will hear from experts on what can be done to fight the scourge of domestic violence gripping the state.

The line-up will include former Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Hannah Tonkin and Marcia Neave AO who chaired the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence.

People from all over Sydney march against domestic violence against women in the CBD. NSW Premier Chris Minns pictured. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Deputy Premier Prue Car said the emergency meeting would be centred around listening to stakeholders and domestic violence prevention experts to discuss potential solutions.

“We will consider all options. Nothing is off the table,” she said.

“We need to take meaningful action and use every lever available to government.”

The Daily Telegraph understands there will be no announcement regarding the formation of a NSW royal commission made on Friday.

Victorian domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty told The Daily Telegraph she would be bringing her expertise and knowledge of the Victorian Royal Commission to the table and is expected to discuss what elements may work in NSW.

Victorian domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty told The Daily Telegraph will bring her expertise and knowledge of the Victorian Royal Commission to the table. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

A Royal Commission into Family Violence was established in Victoria in 2015 after a number of domestic homicides, most notably Ms Batty’s son Luke. In January last year, the Victorian government announced it would implement all 227 recommendations from the inquiry.

Ms Batty said getting the terms of reference right for any future Royal Commission would be immensely important.

“I’m not coming to tell anyone that NSW should have one but to share the benefits and outcomes of the Victorian Royal Commission, some of the things we wish we’d known at the time and some of the things we’re still learning,” she said.

“The creation of a royal commission that is going to effect change depends on the leadership of a government that is prepared to implement all the recommendations.”

Other areas Ms Batty will be looking to discuss at Friday’s meeting is how the state’s domestic violence helpline can be improved as well as how data on domestic violence victims and perpetrators is collected and shared by government agencies and NGOS. From her experience in the Victorian system, she said a lack of transparent data affects the government’s ability to make meaningful policy change.

“One of the things that has come out is that these organisations have different systems, which don’t necessarily talk to one another and that really hinders insight into what is really going on,” she said.

Ms Batty warned any significant improvements to women’s safety could not be made without large funding investments into the domestic violence prevention sector.

NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Hannah Tonkin will also be presenting at the emergency cabinet meeting. Picture: Richard Dobson

NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Hannah Tonkin, who will also be presenting at Friday’s meeting, said conversations needed to be had around misogynistic content on social media and age verification for pornographic sites.

“Many of these harmful messages and this problematic material is directly targeted at boys and young men using social media algorithms and social media companies have a responsibility in that regard,” she said.

“We need to be looking at mechanisms for regulating that and also looking at industry codes where the social media companies take the lead themselves.”

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