The Greens have called on the federal government to provide critical and overdue funding of frontline domestic violence and sexual assault services, after an horrific week of violence against women and children left the nation reeling.

Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on women Larissa Waters said:

“The past week has provided everyone with a tragic reminder of Australia’s ongoing family violence crisis.

Today the House echoed the Senate to call on the government to take action on coercive control, supporting a cross-party motion coordinated by the co-Chairs of Parliamentarians for Action to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children.

“Tomorrow, Friday 19 February marks 1 year since Hannah Clarke’s murder. Her ex-husband had never laid a hand on her until he killed her and her three children, but for years had been abusing her with coercive control,” said Senator Larissa Waters, Greens Leader in the Senate and spokesperson for women.

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 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 Greens will introduce a motion in the Senate today to dissolve the damaging Joint Select Committee Inquiry into Australia’s Family Law System, for vote tomorrow.

Greens Co-Deputy Leader and spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters, said the inquiry was already ramping up the risk to women and children.

“Australia’s family law system has serious problems which need addressing, however this inquiry is politically motivated and should not go ahead,” she said.

The Government’s attempt at winning back female support with its women’s economic statement today will fail for its lack of funding and lack of vision, Greens spokesperson for women, Senator Larissa Waters said.

“The women’s economic security statement by the Women’s Minister today contains only minor reforms and pittance of new funding - it equates to a mere four cents per week for adult Australian women. Four cents a week will not fix anything for Australian women. 

Greens spokesperson for Women, Senator Larissa Waters, says the Senate Inquiry into the Government’s Family and Domestic Violence Leave Bill cemented the urgent need to give workers 10 days paid leave.

Scrap the tampon tax, increase funding for frontline domestic violence services and deliver 10 days’ paid DV leave, is Greens spokesperson for women, Senator Larissa Waters' wish list ahead of meetings tomorrow which could alter the future of Australian women, children and trans people.

Tomorrow:

The Greens will move to amend the Government’s bill introduced into the Lower House today for five days unpaid family and domestic violence leave, to give workers 10 days paid leave.

“We acknowledge the government’s small step forward on this but it fails to recognise the needs of victims and won’t actually help keep women safe,” Greens spokesperson for women Senator Larissa Waters said.

“Australia is experiencing a domestic violence crisis and the government should be helping women, not adding insult to injury by denying them paid leave to get safe.