Parliament House to Go Orange to Combat Gender Violence

An Australian flag flies atop Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 8, 2024. Melanie Sun/The Epoch Times

Beginning tonight, the Australian Parliament House will glow orange to mark the annual 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence.

This global initiative spans from Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to Dec. 10, Human Rights Day.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used the occasion to call for accelerated action on the issue.

“We cannot be satisfied until women feel safe, until this is no longer an issue. People need to mobilise in the streets, but I do have hope that we can get there,” he declared.

Reflecting on violence against women and children, particularly among Indigenous communities, Albanese described it as “a stain upon the soul of our nation” that demands urgent redress.

Government’s Commitments Highlighted

Albanese outlined his government’s efforts, including the introduction of paid domestic and family violence leave, expanded single parenting payments, and a $1 billion (US$652 million) Leaving Violence Payment.

Housing remains a cornerstone of these efforts, with 4,000 social and affordable homes earmarked for victims of domestic violence through the Housing Australia Future Fund.

Legal and preventive reforms targeting high-risk perpetrators are also central to ending gender-based violence within a generation.

The prime minister commended Ministers Amanda Rishworth and Justin Elliott for their dedication and reiterated his administration’s resolve to continue fighting gender violence.

The issue also dominated in the Senate, with Minister for Women Katy Gallagher echoing the government’s dedication to combating gender violence, including $3.9 billion for legal assistance, additional housing funding, and parenting payment reforms.

Gallagher highlighted the importance of legislative measures like paid domestic violence leave and family law reforms to offer greater security and fairness to survivors.

“There is always more to do,” Gallagher said. “Until all women and girls are safe, we cannot take our foot off the accelerator.”

Opposition Calls for Greater Action

Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley also addressed the issue, urging for an unyielding commitment to eliminating gender violence.

She pointed out that over 60 women have been killed in domestic violence incidents this year.

In New South Wales, police respond to a family violence call every four minutes, and domestic violence-related assaults have risen by 6.5 percent over the past year.

“Today is about committing ourselves to that task,” Ley said.

She said tackling the issue would save lives and create a safer, healthier society.

Liberal Senator Jane Hume reinforced the urgency, citing 56 murders of women by men this year and a record number of family violence reports in Victoria and Western Australia.

“Family and domestic violence is a plague, and improving the safety of women and girls is above politics,” Hume said.

Data Raises Concerns

The inaugural Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence report tabled in Parliament this August revealed 43 women had been murdered by their partners in the last financial year and there was an 11 percent rise in sexual violence cases.

Domestic Violence Commissioner Michaela Cronin urged society to confront the power imbalances underpinning gender violence.

“This shift in language is essential for creating a cultural change that challenges the norms and attitudes that perpetuate violence,” she told the National Press Club.

Cronin talked about the importance of victim-centred approaches, engaging men in prevention efforts, and improving survivor support.