Big step towards women’s safety plan

A major step towards women’s safety and gender equality has been taken by state, territory and federal leaders.

The draft National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children has been backed by ministers at all levels of government, with the final version due to be released in October.

It will provide a decade-long strategy to inform the policy and service frameworks needed to address violence against women.

The plan will also include more data sharing around equality goals to measure its success.

Ministers responsible for women and women’s safety met face to face for the first time under the new government to discuss the plan in Adelaide on Friday.

They also discussed a proposal to implement a national strategy to achieve gender equality.

Women’s Minister Katy Gallagher described the meeting as productive and said the national plan was an important priority to end violence against women.

It is imperative that all levels of government work together to address violence, said Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth.

“A woman dies in Australia every 10 days at the hands of her current or former partner. This is unacceptable,” she said in a statement.

“The national plan will set out a strategy for the next decade with the aim of reducing this number.”

The priorities of the new Commission on Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence were also discussed.

The commission should play a key role in monitoring the implementation and monitoring the progress of the national plan.

The federal government has committed to a stand-alone Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family safety plan, which has been well received by states and territories.

Ministers were also due to discuss safe access to abortion in Australia following the overthrow of legal protections in the United States.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week ruled out revival of the 2019 Labor policy to require public hospitals to provide abortion services as part of their federal funding agreements.

The ACT lobbies for Australia to have uniform and accessible abortion services in all jurisdictions.

“All jurisdictions should have policies in place that provide women and people who may become pregnant with access to affordable, safe and legal abortion services and the freedom to have control over decisions about their bodies and their rights. reproductive health,” an ACT government spokesperson said.

Health Minister Mark Butler and Deputy Health Minister Ged Kearney will also review access to reproductive services as part of a national plan for women’s health.

“States determine what they provide through hospitals, and surgical terminations are provided by public hospitals as needed,” Sen. Gallagher told ABC radio Friday.

“The Commonwealth does not dictate what they provide…noting that the issue (State and Territory Ministers) raised concerned consistent national laws for the provision of termination of pregnancy services.

“That’s a constitutional matter for the states and territories.”

It comes as the Government announced that paid domestic violence leave legislation would be one of its top priorities when Parliament resumes on Tuesday.

The proposed laws will allow any Australian worker access to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave.

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