‘Track them like terrorists’: DV Commissioner flags bold plan to fight gendered violence
Australia’s domestic violence commissioner wants to “track” offenders like terrorists, but senior federal government ministers aren’t convinced.
Micaela Cronin on Wednesday released the first report monitoring the progress of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.
The commissioner said the nation should “track people like terrorists” when they show signs of perpetrating domestic violence.
“We take terrorism around the country, and around the world, very seriously,” she told ABC television on Thursday.
“We put a great deal of targeted resources into thinking about how to prevent terrorist acts.
“What we need to do more of is translating those tools to situations where women are being murdered.”
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Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said violence needed to “absolutely” be treated the same as terrorism, but would not use the same wording.
“We’ve elevated this to be a national priority,” she said.
“This is a serious issue, which I’ve spent almost every day as a minister, thinking about taking action.”
Key findings of the report include service systems being overwhelmed and stretched beyond capacity despite an increase in funding over recent years.
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Asked if Labor would provide the $1 billion boost requested by the sector, Ms Rishworth said current levels were set by five-year agreements with the states and territories.
“This is a joint responsibility … the attorney-general is working very hard about what we do next in terms of that legal partnerships agreement with states and territories,” she told ABC Radio National.
“We’ve always recognised that where we can invest more, we will look to do that.”
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said he was working on the new agreement that will come into effect on July 1, 2025.
He said he wanted the new agreement to have “increased funding for legal assistance services because they are part of this frontline response”.
Ms Rishworth will receive the “rapid review” on Thursday, commissioned out of the dedicated national cabinet called by Anthony Albanese to make recommendations about the action needed to support the national plan.
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