Anthony Albanese called an urgent national cabinet meeting on Wednesday after declaring violence against women a “national emergency” following the murders of 27 women across Australia this year.
Following crisis talks, the Prime Minister announced the permanent establishment of the Violence Leaving Payment to help people experiencing intimate partner violence with the financial costs of leaving a violent situation.
“Those who qualify will be able to access up to $5,000 in financial support along with referral services, risk assessments and safety planning,” Mr Albanese said.
“This commitment builds on the measures implemented by our government to help address financial barriers to escaping violence.”
Australia will also introduce legislation that will ban the creation and distribution of deeply fake pornography and the sharing of sexually explicit material using technology such as artificial intelligence.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) has announced that those escaping domestic violence will be eligible for a quit violence payment of up to $5,000.
Citing growing concerns about the role of violent online content in normalizing gender-based violence, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced $6.5 million in the budget for a pilot project of ‘age guarantee technologies’. ‘ to reduce children’s exposure to harmful material.
Announced a review, to be carried out in collaboration with experts, with states and territories to examine options to reduce exposure to violent pornography.
“I am very aware, as a mother of two girls, that parents are very concerned about how to help their children navigate the online environment,” Ms Rowland said.
“Reducing this exposure to harmful and degrading pornography will better protect Australia’s women and children and we will have more to say about our plans to strengthen online safety.”
The government will also introduce legislation in early August to ban the disclosure of private information online with the intent to cause harm, known as doxxing.
Albanese said that while the possibility of imposing stricter bail conditions for violent offenders was a point of discussion during Wednesday’s meeting, any changes to bail laws would be led by the states and territories.
“What I’ve heard from premiers and senior ministers is a commitment to best practice, to examine what works, and they will work in concert to see how they can address issues like our laws,” he said.
The financial support comes alongside referral services, risk assessments and security planning which will receive $925 million in the upcoming May budget (file image).
In Australia, on average, a woman is murdered by her partner every four days, while one in three women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15.
Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin said she was pleased to have a unified conversation about the “shocking” spate of deaths of women killed by their current or ex-partners.
“Like many of you, I wake up every day and pick up my phone worried about the news I’m going to see and the impact it will have on communities, but we also know that’s just the tip of the iceberg.” she said.
Opening the hour-long virtual debate, Albanese told state and territory leaders that too many women across the country were dying from acts of violence and said the statistic of one woman murdered every four days was “completely unacceptable”.
‘Too many children grow up with trauma and too many children grow up without their mothers, and too many stories end in the same heartbreaking way. If we want to change this, then we all have to take responsibility,” he stated.
Albanese said that for many the issue of domestic violence was “deeply personal” and promised to take immediate steps to address long-term cultural change.
“We are committed to addressing these issues and today we want to achieve some important results by building on the work that governments have done to date, but doing more because we know that not enough has been done,” he said.
Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin (pictured) said a wave of deaths allegedly caused by domestic violence was “shocking”.
Domestic violence survivor and advocate Rosie Batty welcomed an extension of emergency financial support but raised concerns regarding barriers around eligibility and access.
She said women are at greater risk of violence and homicide when they leave a violent relationship, and urged more federal and state resources for recovery and healing.
“I appreciate that this is an important request that the government has heard, but what I would enforce is that I hope that this payment is easily accessible and provided without the victim having to prove it or go through an extensive screening process that will ultimately “it re-traumatizes her.” ‘ said Mrs Batty.
‘Ultimately, leaving a violent relationship is a long recovery. “We need to realize that violence doesn’t necessarily stop just because you leave.”
Greens spokesperson for women Larissa Waters said the announcement was a “shameful” missed opportunity.
“Today’s announcement simply makes permanent an existing program that has been plagued by mismanagement and delays,” said Senator Waters.
“To add insult to injury, the funding to end violence announced today won’t even arrive until July 2025.”
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland (pictured) also announced a review into preventing children from being exposed to hardcore pornography.
More than half of the more than 50,000 Australians who applied for the payment to escape violence saw their claims rejected between July and September 2023, according to data released in response to a question posed in Senate Estimates earlier this year. .
The one-off payment, which can be accessed through social services provider Uniting, is issued in the form of up to $1,500 in cash and the remainder on a prepaid card for goods and services.
To be eligible, a person must be 18 years old and have left or have a plan to leave a violent intimate partner relationship. Applicants must be Australian citizens or temporary visa holders and be able to demonstrate that they are experiencing or at risk of financial hardship.
They must also have experienced a change in their lifestyle in the last 12 weeks.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or is at risk of domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au