MEDIA RELEASE: GOVERNMENT REVERSING ITS OWN CUTS IS NOTHING TO BE GRATEFUL FOR
GOVERNMENT REVERSING ITS OWN CUTS IS NOTHING TO BE GRATEFUL FOR
Scott Morrison deserves no congratulations for reversing the Liberals’ own cuts to the housing and support services that women and children fleeing family violence rely on.
The simple fact remains that the Liberals cut $44 million in annual funding for emergency housing in the 2014 horror Budget. Their housing announcement today doesn’t even make up for what they have cut.
After five years of neglecting these crucial services, Scott Morrison has admitted he got it wrong.
He’s copy-and-pasted many of Labor’s existing funding commitments on emergency housing and the Keeping Women Safe in their Homes program – they are following our lead.
The Liberals’ record shows that leadership on preventing family violence simply hasn’t been a priority for this Government –
• Scott Morrison is still refusing to back Labor’s plan for 10-days paid domestic violence leave.
• They dragged their feet on funding for legal aid as part of cross-examination reforms to prevent perpetrators from directly cross-examining victims in court.
• The Government had to be shamed into reversing part of their cuts to Community Legal Centres.
• The Liberals’ abolished the Women’s Budget Statement to hide the harmful impacts of their policies on women.
• They abolished the National Plan Advisory Group which guided the development of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children.
With the Liberal and National parties going backwards on women’s representation in the Parliament, it’s no wonder they lack leadership on gender equality policy.
Preventing family violence requires consistent leadership and Labor has demonstrated this with our long-standing commitments to serious reform.
A Shorten Labor Government will:
• Legislate for 10 days paid domestic violence leave;
• Quickly begin work on a new 10-year National Plan;
• Reinstate a National Plan Advisory Group, and the Women’s Budget Statement;
• Meet our target of 50 per cent women’s representation in Parliament; and
• Provide $88 million over two years for a new Safe Housing Fund.
MONDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2019