The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, Micaela Cronin, has called for collaboration and urgency in the implementation of the Second Action Plan to combat Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence in Australia.
"We are hearing and feel the anger, distress and frustration behind recent calls for a Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. The killing of five women already this year, including the shooting of Sophie Quinn, Nerida Quinn, Sophie's unborn child, and her friend John Harris last week.
"Just yesterday, another tragic death was reported at Eastern Beach in Geelong. While a man has been arrested and the matter is under investigation, it should send further shock waves through the community as this epidemic shows itself to be relentless.
"The community wants to see action, to know that these and far too many other murders of women and children are being taken seriously. Getting the Action Plan right will require working collaboratively with the domestic, family and sexual violence sector, people with lived experience and other experts, the broader community and Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, Commissioner Cronin said.
In October last year, the Commission tabled its Yearly Report in Parliament that clearly found that a long list of Royal Commissions, Inquiries, Coronial Inquests, and Reviews – having listened to the sector, people with lived experience and other experts – delivered strikingly consistent recommendations.
"We have the evidence, we know what we need to do, and we need to act now," said the Commissioner.
"So much good work is already being done, we have seen huge increases in investment from governments – much more is still needed. To end domestic, family, and sexual violence – to make it rare, brief and non-recurrent - it will take our whole community, to act and to change."
"We must all work together to develop and deliver on a Second Action Plan that prioritises our collective efforts and identifies and delivers on urgently needed investment," Commissioner Cronin said.
