The decision to fast-track COVID-related domestic and family violence matters and parenting disputes in the family court must be backed in with extra government funding to ensure the system works and can be continued beyond the current crisis, according to Greens Leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters.

The Greens welcome the announcement of additional funding for domestic violence counselling and referral services during this crisis, but warn more targeted funding is essential to create extra capacity.

“The scale of government assistance for frontline services supporting survivors of family and domestic violence does not meet the demand fuelled by self-isolation during the Covid-19 crisis,” said Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters.

The Greens have called on the Morrison Government to urgently fund services needed to respond to the increased risk of family violence during the Coronavirus crisis.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters urged the government to recognise the risks presented by quarantining at home.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe at home. But experience overseas shows that being at home during the COVID-19 crisis can put some women and children at higher risk of abuse from violent or controlling partners,” she said today.

The Federal Government did not consult with the peak community advisory group before re-announcing $20 million funding for a controversial loan program for domestic violence survivors, an initiative not supported by the sector, the Greens say.

AWAVA [Australian Women Against Violence Alliance] wrote to Women’s Safety Ministers ahead of the meeting last Friday with a key ask to fully fund the specialist services that improve women’s safety and hold men who use violence to account.

Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters, has written to Minister for Women Marise Payne ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of Women’s Safety Ministers asking for additional funding and national coordination to improve frontline police services available to people reporting domestic and family violence.

“Women who have survived domestic violence won’t seek police help if they think they will be disbelieved or exposed to more danger,” she said.

The Prime Minister must address the national crisis of women’s death by violence with a $5 billion investment in domestic violence response and full implementation of recommendations from previous inquiries, say the Greens.

Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters, said, “The Prime Minister stood in parliament this week and said “the system” has failed Hannah Clarke, he must take responsibility for ending this crisis in deaths from violence.

"The Prime Minister has the purse strings to the system and can fix it.

The Federal Government’s announcement today of a pitiful $2.4 million funding for men's behaviour change programs to address domestic violence is a drop in the ocean and will not stem the tide of violence against women, the Greens say.

”This pitiful and belated amount shows the Government continuing to ignore women and experts on the scale of action needed to address domestic violence - instead they give Pauline Hanson an inquiry platform to call women liars,” Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on women, Senator Larissa Waters said today.

The Greens are calling for an urgent crisis response to the number of women killed by violence and greater accuracy in media reporting following the murder of a Brisbane-based mother and three children by their father yesterday.

“There have now been eight women killed by violence in 2020, after 61 were murdered last year, yet there was more response from the Prime Minister to the needles-in-strawberry incident,” said Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson for women, Senator Larissa Waters.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Greens have secured senate support for the family law system inquiry not going ahead until there are strong protection measures for women who choose to give evidence.

Greens co-deputy leader and Spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters said,
“The Greens have said since day one that establishment of the inquiry into the family law system will pose real danger for women and children.

The Greens absolutely do not support the statement made yesterday by Sherele Moody that firefighters are responsible for an increase in domestic violence during times of disaster. 

Ms Moody is not affiliated with the Greens and does not speak for us. Yesterday's press conference with Senator Waters was held to receive a petition regarding the Family Law Inquiry. Ms Moody chose to make comments regarding matters unrelated to the press conference without our prior knowledge.