Page 3791 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 October 1990
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partners or former partners, it is quite apparent that this legislation linking domestic violence with the restriction on access to weapons, particularly firearms, is something that has been long overdue.
Of course, the innocent victims in these circumstances are almost invariably the children. We often hear of these terrible cases of suicides and murder cases where innocent children are burdened - that is the only word for it - by one of their parents because of the domestic violence situation. To my way of thinking, talking of children, it is pretty childish for people on whatever side of the Assembly to be saying, "It was our legislation" or, "It was your legislation" or, "It is early" or, "It is late". The fact is that it is here, and I think it is something which every member of this Assembly welcomes because it is going to achieve something which has been long overdue in the community. As I say, to be carping and criticising, or to be saying, "No, we did it quickly" or "We did it slowly" or "You did not do it at all", is really rather immaterial. The fact is that it is here and it is something which has been long overdue. That is really all I wanted to get on to the record. I am pleased to see that the Opposition is supporting it as, of course, rightfully, every thinking person in this community will.
DR KINLOCH (11.05): Mr Speaker, on this subject of domestic violence, I hope I might be allowed to discuss one little matter that has come up recently. Of course, it is excellent that, all through the chamber, we are supporting this matter related to domestic violence.
In the suburb I live in I was very sad to discover that some householders in one part of the suburb seem to have taken an objection to the possible placement of a refuge for people who are victims of domestic violence. Those people have even circulated to their neighbours a pamphlet which many of you have seen. It really is a most distressing pamphlet. It suggests that if a domestic violence refuge centre was set up in the suburb the land prices, or the house prices, would go down.
I received a phone call directly from one of these people. Perhaps I was not acting as I should. Perhaps I should have gone around there and tried to persuade her directly. However, over the phone, I took the view that it is so important to provide these facilities, especially refuge facilities for people who are victims of domestic violence, that I could not agree that people's houses in the area were endangered. In any case, to imagine that a refuge would create those kinds of problems, I think, is not necessarily the case at all. The police, of course, would be very well aware of such a refuge and the problems associated with it and there would be legal protection for people in the refuge and legal protection to keep out spouses or whoever might try to enter the refuge. As far as I can see, these small refuge communities are carefully
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