In estimates last night the Government revealed that funding to end violence against women and children is less than half the amount the women’s safety sector says is needed.
Labor continues to ignore the women’s safety sector’s sustained calls for $1 billion in funding, leaving frontline family and domestic violence services with no choice but to turn away victim-survivors.
Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters said:
“The Government has said it wants to end violence against women within a generation but it’s not stumping up the funds to deliver that. The total commitment over the next five years is $2.23 billion, less than half the $5 billion the sector needs to ensure no one is turned away.
“The government has spoken often about difficult choices in the lead up to the budget, but right now they are choosing to spend $313 billion on tax cuts for billionaires and baulking at $1 billion a year for women escaping violence. It’s worse than disappointing, it’s a betrayal.
“Violence against women and children has not reduced since the first National Plan to end it 12 years ago. Labor must provide the funds required for the National Plan to succeed, or they risk squandering another 10 years, and more women’s lives.
“While the Labor Government continues to underfund frontline family and domestic violence services, victim-survivors are turned away from crisis accommodation and one woman is murdered every 10 days in this country.
“Labor are saying one thing about a ‘women-centred’ budget but doing another by shortchanging women in need. They’re choosing to put tax cuts for our highest income earners – of which two thirds are men – above women’s safety.
“What more does the sector need to do to convince the government to stump up the funds they need to meet demand and keep women and children safe?”