Greens Qld Senator Larissa Waters slams lack of DV funding on same day Geham woman killed in suspicious house fire

A Queensland senator says the government needs to emphasise domestic violence statistics as much as the national road toll, on the day another woman allegedly died at the hands of a partner.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters has slammed the major parties for the lack of attention and federal funding for domestic and family violence prevention, and wants to see it treated like the national road toll.

Senator Waters, whose party has pledged $8m towards frontline DV services in Toowoomba as part of its federal election campaign, made the comments on the same day Geham woman Louise Hunt was found dead following a house fire.

Ms Hunt’s husband Cameron Hunt appeared in court on Wednesday charged with murder (domestic violence).

Senator Waters said women in Toowoomba and the nation could not wait for another death before more action was taken on a crisis that has killed nearly 20 women and children since the start of 2025.

Speaking in Queens Park, Toowoomba, for the launch of local Greens campaigns for the 2025 federal election are (from left) Maranoa candidate Elizabeth Johnston, Queensland Senator Larissa Waters and Groom candidate Alyce Nelligan.

“Here locally in Toowoomba, we know from the local magistrate’s court figures that domestic violence offences have more than doubled since 2019,” she said.

“This is happening every week in every street around the country.

Louise Hunt has been remembered as a loving mum and sister by friends, family and the community.

“It shouldn’t take yet another woman, perhaps another local woman, being killed, for the politicians to remember that keeping women safe matters.

“If you’re not putting this on people’s nightly televisions to keep awareness of the fact that this is a national epidemic, then you’re not doing your job to try to deter and stop violence against women.”

Senator Waters said the Greens’ package included providing funding to keep track of the national domestic violence toll, which is currently being run by not-for-profits.

“The Greens announced our policy in November last year – $15 billion to fully fund frontline services to make sure that everyone who seeks help as they flee violence can get that help, to double the escaping violence payment, to have a real time toll of women killed by violence and to increase the compensation that’s payable to keep women and children in their homes,” she said.

“We think that $15 billion over the forward estimates is the bare minimum of what women deserve.

“But it’s been absolutely crickets ever since (from the major parties), and the women of Australia are sick of feeling left out, let down and forgotten about.

“Right now, the shelters are full, the refuges are having to turn people away, the legal services can’t answer every call that comes in because they don’t have the funding they need.”

When asked about measures for domestic violence perpetrators, who or overwhelmingly male, Senator Waters said more funding was also required for behavioural change programs for men and promoting respectful relationships.