Page 292 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 December 2016
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event attended by the minister, a well-known community leader suggested that we build a movement or a campaign like those against smoking and littering. Making domestic violence illegal has not been enough. Making domestic violence unfashionable has not been enough. Domestic violence needs to be the sort of thing people will not walk past: a standard no member of our community will accept.
This motion is the start of that. This motion asks the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety to conduct an inquiry, to look at evidence, to look at models of best practice and to seek out information about programs and approaches that have produced great outcomes.
We have a lot to do on this issue. As policymakers, it has to be our priority to continue to find solutions at both ends. We need to find support for those experiencing violence by way of post-crisis responses but more importantly intervention and prevention.
We must always be looking for new ways of changing the story. The only way to do this is to look for new ways to make that change happen across our whole community. I commend this motion to the Assembly.
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (4.10): I note Ms Cody’s comments about this committee, and I absolutely agree with her that tackling domestic violence in our community, taking whatever steps we can to eliminate it, is incredibly important. The government did present, I think, three reviews last year on domestic violence. There has been considerable focus in this place, and I think it is fair to say it has been one of the topics where there has been tripartisan support for measures in this place, and that is something I think we are all very grateful for.
I do not dispute the importance of the topic but I reiterate my comments earlier today that the Greens’ view is that in making referrals to committees, particularly right at the start of the term, it is best for the committee members to perhaps meet and discuss the likely referrals and to actually work collaboratively together to agree on a work program.
I did note Ms Cody’s comments that the JACS committee has already met, which seems to make it even worse in that the committee has not discussed this possible referral and this matter has not been canvassed with her committee colleagues. We will also be supporting an adjournment of this motion today.
Debate (on motion by Ms Le Couteur) adjourned to the next sitting.
Executive members’ business—precedence
Ordered that executive members’ business be called on.
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