Rosie Batty says Australia is still ‘failing’ family violence victims

Family violence campaigner Rosie Batty has endorsed Labor leader Bill Shorten for prime minister, saying he would take a tough stance on abuse.

Family violence campaigner Rosie Batty has endorsed Labor leader Bill Shorten for prime minister, saying he would take a tough stance on abuse.

Two months from the federal election, the 2015 Australian of the Year said the nation was still “failing” women and children suffering family violence.

She made the comments on the eve of the third anniversary of Victoria’s landmark royal commission into family violence.

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“I haven’t had recent conversations with Bill Shorten but I have had many over the years and I know he has a strong commitment,” Ms Batty said.

“I have absolutely no doubt that when or if they were fortunate to be the next government that there would be a strong commitment in this space.”

Rosie Batty said Australia is still failing family violence victims. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Ms Batty described current federal funding to combat domestic violence as “paltry”.

The Coalition earlier this month gave an extra $78 million for emergency accommodation and other support services, on top of more than $350 million spent since 2015.

Ms Batty said she had never spoken to PM Scott Morrison.

In contrast, she said she had a series of conversations with axed former PM Malcolm Turnbull and regularly used one of his most well-known statements: “not all disrespect of women ends in violence but all violence begins with disrespect”.

Eleven-year-old Luke Batty was beaten to death by his dad, Greg Anderson, at a suburban cricket ground in 2014.

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His death shocked Victoria, and prompted a review of how the state dealt with incidents of family violence.

A landmark royal commission called for sweeping change, including 227 specific recommendations, to the justice system and support services.

A year after the recommendations were made, 10 had been implemented, 212 were in progress and five had not been started.

The state government today confirmed 120 recommendations have now been fully implemented.

Luke Batty was killed five years ago. Picture: Supplied

Despite the latest crime statistics showing a 5.7 per cent rise in family violence, Premier Daniel Andrews denied the crisis was worsening.

Women were instead more confident in coming forward, he said.

“There is that difficult balance: you never want to be pleased about seeing that but it does, I think, send a message that there is greater confidence, a greater sense that there will be support,” Mr Andrews said.

But he admitted that combating family violence was a “gradual, long, hard slog”.

“I don’t think you can say ‘well, I’ve given that message today, everybody should listen and every one should change overnight.

“It starts with boys and I think it works all the way through.

“This is absolutely a gendered issue: we’re not going to have any of this nonsense about how it is wrong to call this about as an issue that is overwhelmingly about women and kids.”

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