State government pledges support for women in DV reform package

New South Wales will look to immediately address “something that is on the minds of each and every woman right now”.

The NSW state government will deliver an emergency package in the coming days to aid women facing domestic and family violence.

NSW’s Labor Party, led by Acting Premier Prue Car, held an emergency cabinet meeting on Friday to address the spate of violence against women in the month prior.

The emergency package will be the first wave of reform in the state, complimenting the previously announced review into bail grants for those charged with violent offences.

Ms Car, alongside Mental Health Minister Penny Sharpe, Housing Minister Rose Jackson and Minister for Women Jodie Harrison promised that it would be followed by a swath of reforms.

Exact policy goals were not outlined, but Ms Car put forward the emphasis on immediate solutions alongside long-term reform to housing, education and the justice system.

The cabinet meeting featured consultation from Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre chief executive Christine Robinson, NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Hannah Tonkin, Victorian family violence royal commission chair Marcia Neave and prominent domestic violence campaigner and 2015 Australian of the Year Rosie Batty.

On Wednesday, the state government outlined a new coercive control education campaign. Ms Car, who is also the government’s education minister, on Friday flagged further recommendations in the sector regarding respectful relationships education.

Acting Premier Prue Car says reform is ‘on the minds of each and every woman in NSW right now’. Picture: Tim Hunter

“This is something that is on the minds of each and every woman I would argue in NSW right now,” Ms Car said.

“If you focus too much on the women at the bottom of the cliff, you’re not going to get the women who are about to fall off.

“Absolutely everything is on the table. Today was about listening to those experts with the lived experience.”

Ms Car foreshadowed a greater commitment to domestic violence prevention in the forthcoming state budget but warned that many of the necessary changes would be difficult to achieve quickly.

“We’re talking about big pieces of work,” Ms Car said. “We’re not going to treat the people of NSW as mugs and say that we will be able to do things quickly and easily if they cannot be done quickly and easily.

“The people of NSW do want us, rightly, to come out with something very soon as an emergency package and we will be doing that.”

Acting Premier Prue Car, Housing Minister Rose Jackson, Domestic Violence Prevention Minister Jodie Harrison and Mental Health Minister Penny Sharpe address the streak of domestic violence incidents. Picture: Tim Hunter

On Wednesday, both the Greens and Coalition boycotted the launch of a coercive control ad campaign, raising concerns that the Minns government will struggle to get legislation through the parliament without bipartisan support.

Also recommended was a spate of new housing reforms to provide shelter for women fleeing family violence.

Housing Minister Rose Jackson said the government was considering using modular housing and “meanwhile use” to quickly provide women safe homes before new construction could be completed. Both measures are being employed by the Queensland government to uphold women’s safety.

Housing Minister Rose Jackson says it’s time for action. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“The development of those housing solutions is critically important, and that is something that we’ve already started work on,” Ms Jackson said.

“It frustrates me as it does everyone that it’s often the women and children who have to leave the home. But the reality is when we are prioritising women’s safety, a safe place to go is critical to ensure that the harm that women are enduring is stopped.

“There are no words to demonstrate the government’s commitment to doing something about this, the time is now for action.”

The senior ministers flagged a potential outcome from the ongoing meeting of the nation’s police ministers and attorneys-general, with the state government committed to delivering more interstate co-operation between police divisions to improve enforcement.

“I just want to say to young women, I know that you have been carrying the burden of looking after your own safety,” Ms Jackson said.

“We as a government want to step up and give you a rest, give you a break from that by doing the things that we can do so that it’s not always on young women in particular to protect their own personal safety.

“To young men, boys, this is a time for you to show how much you care about the women in your lives and be that change.”

Mental Health Minister Penny Sharpe says more women will die if nothing change. Picture: Tim Hunter.

By analysing the 2015 Victorian family violence inquiry, Ms Car said NSW could improve its own response. She outlined recognising early behaviour that may lead to domestic violence was key.

Outcomes from the ongoing South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence will also be considered.

The Albanese government on Wednesday said it was considering proof-of-age measures to prevent children accessing pornographic material. The state government echoed this sentiment in calling for digital reforms but did not outline a specific policy under consideration.

Justice reform would likely come in the form of an overhaul to bail laws, with Ms Car stating the government had regularly found itself disappointed in the number of violent offenders being allowed back into the community.

Thursday’s arrest of a NSW police officer who was charged with domestic violence offences was cited as one such instance of frustration for the government.

“I think (the) clear message to us today was if we continue to do the same, women are going to continue to die,” Ms Sharpe said.

“For me, after quite a long history of being in the marches for women trying to stop this, I actually feel that we’re finally making a breakthrough.”

The use of electronic monitoring for men under apprehended violence orders was being discussed in conjunction with more proactive policing measures.

“There is an argument for electronic monitoring,” Ms Car said. “We need to be able to monitor if he is too close to his victim’s house, something needs to be done.”

“Monitoring in itself is only going to work if we can actually resource (appropriately).

“There is no more issue that is more serious to the people of NSW and the country right now than the women dying at the hands of those who supposedly love them.”

Originally published as State government pledges support for women in DV reform package