The government is remaining tight-lipped about what more it could do in this month’s federal budget to tackle domestic violence, as it comes under increasing pressure to deliver on existing promises.
National Cabinet agreed this week to extend the $5,000 grant to help people get out of domestic violence, but campaigners are disappointed governments have not done more to address critical frontline shortages.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, who is also Minister for Women, admitted on Sunday that she believed only 30 of the 500 frontline domestic violence workers promised by the Labor Party had been recruited so far.
He said the onus was on the states to increase that number and he was hopeful that number would increase significantly in the coming months.
Federal Finance Minister Katy Gallagher (pictured) said the government is failing to deliver on a promise it made to hire 500 frontline domestic violence workers.
“They’ve signed an agreement to hire the vast majority of them in the first half of this year, but they say staffing and staffing is an issue,” he told ABC’s Insiders.
In 2022, the government pledged $169 million over four years to fund 500 new frontline workers helping people experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, who will be recruited by states.
During the week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struggled to give a figure for how many workers were currently on the ground.
Following Senator Gallagher’s revelation, Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said it was “simply not good enough” that Labor could not deliver on the promises it had made.
‘This is not good enough. When was the last time the Minister for Women consulted these figures and why doesn’t she ask for updates every day? she said in a statement with Kerrynne Liddle, spokesperson for the Coalition to Prevent Family Violence.
‘It is the Prime Minister himself who made the promise and therefore it is his government’s responsibility to deliver on it, not blame the states and territories.
‘The Labor Party must address the family violence crisis by delivering on its promises and with more measures in the next Budget to change this terrible situation. trajectory.’
The current agreement will expire in June.
The government has pledged $169 million over four years to fund 500 new frontline domestic violence workers (pictured, left to right, Senator Gallagher, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Prime Minister Anthony Albanian).
Elsewhere, the Greens are calling on the government to “get serious” about women’s safety by doubling funding for the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement to $3.6 billion annually.
Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather pointed to recent government data that more than 96 per cent of people needing long-term housing after fleeing violence had been denied it, describing it as a “national disgrace.”
“Doubling funding for housing and homelessness would help ensure that all women escaping domestic violence are housed and supported – it’s as simple as that,” Mr Chandler-Mather said.
‘If Labor can find $50 billion in the budget for additional military spending over the next decade, then surely they can find at least $40 billion over a decade to ensure housing and homelessness services have what they need to shelter and help all women fleeing domestic violence. ‘
The Prime Minister (centre) faces calls from the Greens to double the National Agreement on Housing and Homelessness
Senator Gallagher said it was easy for the Greens to ask for a funding increase because they did not have to balance a budget.
‘The Greens say we should double everything. The Greens don’t have to manage a budget,” he said.
‘The budget is under a lot of pressure. We try to do what we can with each budget, we think deeply about these decisions and then come up with what’s possible.’
He said the government was currently negotiating the next agreement with the states.
Senator Gallagher also remained silent on whether the government would increase payments for single parents or rental assistance, as social service agencies have been asking for.
She said the government had increased the payment for single mothers in the last budget and “widened access” to the payment “specifically in response to some of the work being done around women experiencing violence and limiting options about how to leave.” “.
Senator Gallagher (pictured) did not reveal details about whether the government would increase single parent payments and rental assistance in the next federal budget.
“I think the Treasurer and I have made it clear, and the Prime Minister, that in every budget we look at what we can do with the payments system to make sure we are providing as much support as possible to people who need that extra help,” said.
She said the government was aiming for economic equality for women.
“Part of the answer is the pay system, and part is how we address gender equality and gender pay gaps more broadly,” she said.
‘There is a whole-of-government response to these issues. It’s not just one thing.’
