Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced new measures including $1 billion funding, and online monitoring, to combat Australia's national domestic violence scourge. But critics say the proposals and law amendments aren't enough.

Council of the City of Sydney

In a concerted effort to address the escalating crisis of domestic violence in Australia, the Prime Minister, alongside state and territory leaders, convened an emergency National Cabinet meeting. This gathering, which also saw the presence of the Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Commissioner, aimed to formulate a robust response to what is increasingly seen as a critical societal issue. The discussions culminated in the announcement of a $925 million allocation over the next five years to bolster the "Leaving Violence" program, which is set to commence in the middle of next year.

The "Leaving Violence" initiative, previously piloted and now transitioning into a permanent offering, promises financial assistance up to $5,000 for women seeking to escape abusive situations. This funding is intended not only for emergency financial support but also to facilitate risk assessments and guide these women toward further services. A service provider, yet to be appointed, will manage the distribution of these funds. This move is part of a broader strategy to mitigate the risk and impact of domestic violence by providing crucial support to those in imminent danger.

Moreover, the National Cabinet addressed the broader cultural and technological factors contributing to violence against women. The government has earmarked an additional $6 million to trial age assurance technologies as a measure to shield children from exposure to harmful misogynistic content online. Legislative efforts are also underway to confront the digital creation and distribution of non-consensual deepfake pornography. Despite these advancements, the absence of legal reform, particularly concerning bail laws, was noted. This area is set for further examination by police and attorneys general.

While some critics argue that the commitments outlined fall short of addressing the core issues, particularly the underfunding of support services, the opposition has welcomed the Prime Minister's dedication to reinforcing effective programs. The announced measures are seen as initial steps in a comprehensive effort to tackle domestic violence, with expectations for continued and intensified actions in the near future. The urgency and sensitivity of the issue promise a high level of scrutiny for upcoming initiatives, underscoring the national imperative to protect and support vulnerable populations.



Emergency national cabinet meeting for domestic violence crisis

forum to face Australia's failure. Today is about who we are as a nation and who we are as a society. Sitting next to the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, the Prime Minister convened an emergency meeting of state and territory leaders. He emerged two hours later. We determined to move forward in a range of ways. There'll be $925 million over five years for the Leaving Violence program that'll start mid next year. As part of that, payments of up to $5,000 will be available to women needing to escape. The program has been running as a trial and will now become permanent. The funds will be administered by a service provider, yet to be appointed, and will also go towards helping these women with risk assessments and referrals to other services. This is actually about getting critical emergency money in the hands of women at serious risk. National Cabinet also discussed what can fuel violence against women. The Government will spend $6 million to trial age assurance technology to try to stop children being exposed to damaging and misogynistic material. It'll also legislate to ban the digital creation and non-consensual distribution of deepfake pornography. What didn't come out of the meeting were legal reforms. Bail laws and discussions around that sit with that work that we've asked the Police and Attorneys General to go and do further work on. For some, the commitments fell short. I really thought that National Cabinet would address the main problem today, which is the underfunding of support services. All we saw announced today by the Prime Minister is more of the same. It's not enough. While the opposition was complimentary. The Prime Minister's commitment to put more funding into the programs that are working, I think, is something that we should support. The Prime Minister has framed this as a first step, and there will be another National Cabinet meeting in a few months. It's such a sensitive, personal and urgent issue for so many that scrutiny of the next steps will be intense. My big takeaway was that there was a really significant will in the room. Ashley Raper for 10 News First.

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