Page 3040 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 14 September 1993
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I congratulate the Government on its expansion of response from 1991 to 1992 with regard to counselling for violent men. The 1992 response recognises that not all violent men end up in the legal system, and not all those that do end up before the courts are given custodial sentences. The move to give some support to the idea of violence counselling is very welcome. I have stated in the past my support for accommodation to be provided for men who are the subject of domestic violence orders. This accommodation would offer some form of intermediary support, a person who could assist with referral to agencies who offer counselling, or with advice on practical matters affecting men where that is appropriate. Moves to defuse tense situations will always assist in lessening, not escalating, violence. Of course, these facilities should not be provided if it means that services for women would be consequently reduced. I do note that in the budget papers tabled earlier today by the Chief Minister there is some provision for accommodation for violent men. I welcome that.
At recommendation 19 the Government, I feel, uses selective reading to answer the proposition that stress identification and management should become an integral part of health promotion programs. The Government, in both responses, talks about including stress identification and management where it is appropriate, in 1991, and discusses specific courses in 1992. Programs which specifically address stress are excellent for people who have identified that they are unable to control their stress levels. However, there are other courses run by health professionals which could benefit from stress management information. I am sure that the Government could find benefits for men, women and young people in the community in introducing the topic of stress identification and management into health promotion programs where appropriate. Many stress management courses are aimed at women, and it is accepted that violence in men is a major societal problem. If the National Committee on Violence has accepted that stress identification and management has a part to play in reducing violence in our communities, by both men and women, then we should be incorporating it into many programs, not limiting it to perhaps those people who identify themselves as having a problem with stress.
At recommendation 29, which deals with evaluation of child abuse intervention programs, the 1991 report discussed the strategic plan being developed for the Family Services Branch. As a supporter of the need for short-, medium- and long-term planning, I was disappointed that there were no details of the strategic plan in the 1992 response. If the strategic plan has been produced, I feel that it would have been a positive move to include that information in the 1992 response of the Government. The 1991 report also discussed the development of reciprocal protocols with non-government organisations to deal with cases of child abuse. I would like to have seen further evidence of these protocols in the latest response, and, if they have not been developed, I would have expected some mention of their still being developed.
Madam Speaker, similarly at recommendation 50, the 1991 response mentions details of adherence to behaviour codes in sport being necessary for acquittal of sports grants, but there is no evidence of the rigorous and independent evaluation supported in the reports. In 1991 the response to recommendation 67 stressed that it was important that the community is made aware of the factual and evidentiary requirements of police before they can successfully prosecute reports of criminal assault in the home. Where is the evidence that this has actually happened? Where is the evaluation? Similarly, there is no evaluation of
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