Women looking to escape violent relationships will be able to access $5000 in financial support through an almost $1 billion package, as part of national cabinet measures tackling violence against women.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with state and territory leaders on measures to reduce gendered violence.
Under the reforms, the federal government will provide $925 million over five years to set up the leaving violence program, which will provide financial aid and support referrals to women looking to get out of dangerous situations.
The measures will be funded in federal budget in May.
Those eligible will be able to access $5000 in support and receive access to referral services and risk assessments.
National cabinet also agreed to implement measures aimed at addressing misogyny online, specifically aimed at young people.
As part of the move, laws will be introduced that will ban the creation and distribution of deepfake pornography.
A pilot program will be set up for age assurance technology to block access for children to online content such as pornography.
A review of the online safety act will also be carried out a year ahead of schedule.
National cabinet will hold a further meeting on domestic and family violence in the next financial quarter.
Mr Albanese said tangible action was needed to address the issues.
“This is indeed a national crisis, and it’s a national challenge, and we’re facing this with a spirit of national unity,” he told reporters in Sydney.
“We want to change this in a way in which we all have to take responsibility, because violence against women is not a women’s problem to solve, it’s a whole of society problem.
“Men in particular have to take responsibility.”
The snap national cabinet meeting was made following large numbers of women being killed in recent weeks, with thousands marching across the country in protest against gendered violence.
ACT Government response
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the ACT had joined all State and Territories and the Commonwealth in committing to end the national crisis of violence against women and children in a generation.
The ACT has agreed to the priorities for all Governments set out in the National Cabinet discussion, including:
- Strengthening accountability and consequences for perpetrators, including early intervention with high-risk perpetrators and serial offenders and best practice justice response that support people who have experienced violence.
- Strengthening and building on prevention work through targeted, evidence-based approaches.
- Maintaining a focus on missing and murdered First Nations women and children and the impact of domestic and family violence in First Nations communities.
“We welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to deliver the Leaving Violence Payment, as a crucial support mechanism to allow victims to escape violent perpetrators,” Mr Barr said. “Additional Commonwealth commitments to tackle factors that exacerbate violence against women and misogynistic content targeting children and young people are also important steps to tackle concerning behaviours being exhibited by some young men.
“The ACT, through the Attorney-General [Shane Rattenbury] and the Minister for Police and Crime Prevention [Mick Gentleman] will be involved in national efforts to enhance criminal justice and police responses to prevent homicides. This includes a review of police responses to high risk and serial perpetrators and improved information sharing about violent perpetrators across jurisdictions.
“As part of this work, the ACT will work towards developing greater consistency across State and Territory borders in efforts to target serial offenders. The ACT is currently preparing for the introduction of electronic monitoring of violent perpetrators in the Territory.
“The National Cabinet also noted the importance of housing reforms in supporting women and children escaping violence, and we look forward to working with the Commonwealth through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA).
“A national ANROWS survey estimated that 42 per cent of women in the ACT have experienced violence in their lives since the age of 15, whether it be physical and/or sexual.
“Over the past decade, the Government has worked in partnership with the domestic, family and sexual violence sector to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. The establishment of the Safer Families Levy provides a critical funding source for the Government to provide ongoing support to the sector, and to fund preventative approaches that have been rolled out across the Territory.
“The Government continuously reviews our criminal justice framework in response to emerging trends and behaviours. The Government will continue to listen and respond to the experts, including the family, domestic and sexual violence sector and ACT Policing, to maintain a supportive criminal justice system for victims.”
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By Andrew Brown and Dominic Giannini in Canberra
