7 May, 2024.
I support the suspension of standing orders and do so in the knowledge that everybody plays politics in this place. I really wish they would not. Last week the Coalition and The Greens did not show up for the joint announcement. That was wrong. The Government not wanting to deal now with this matter raised by the Liberals is also wrong. It is such an important issue. I am happy to support the motion. I want all members to stop supporting their party rooms and instead start supporting the women affected. People say, "The Libs were there for 12 years and what did they do? They did nothing". People say it is better if the Government introduces legislation. I actually do not care. It is not about us. It is about the people out there without a voice and the people who are at home right now who cannot leave, who are afraid of their partners returning this evening. It is about the people who cannot speak up and are afraid. It is about the one woman who dies every few days and all the other women who are sitting there terrified and whose children are vomiting because they are worried about going to school. We need to do something right now.
Sexism is rife in Australia. In the past couple of weeks I have experienced it myself. I really should not support members on this side of the House, because they are friends with the people who have been doing it to me. But I do not care. All I care about is doing the right thing for our community. I was elected to always vote with my conscience. We can agree on what is not acceptable. We need to do something right now for the people out there who are under threat. Who here has not had a resident come to them with concerns about their life, needing shelter or help, or who just needs us to be there because they cannot come to terms with what they live with? Who here is unaware of the current statistics? My community may be different from others. We need to start thinking more broadly and more openly.
I do not care where the legislation comes from. I do not care if it comes from Labor, the Liberals, The Nationals or The Greens. The legislation should be considered on its merits. On such an important issue, we should work together to achieve every measure that must be taken and do everything we can do. I compel members to think hard about this measure. If it prevents only one death, it is worth it. We will not ever know who we save, but that is better than knowing who we did not.