Yet, rates of violence against women and girls in Victoria remain stubbornly high. In Victoria, 39 per cent of women have experienced physical or sexual violence since the age of 15.
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Perhaps that’s why the image of Allan and other Labor MPs leading a march of incensed protesters fed up with inaction and holding signs saying “The system has failed us” felt a bit off.
Labor has been in power for 20 of the past 24 years and Allan has been a member of cabinet for more than 85 per cent of that time.
While her passion and commitment can’t be questioned, it’s right that we ask why her government’s policies have failed to significantly improve outcomes for women, despite it spending more money on domestic violence prevention than any other state.
During this week’s national cabinet meeting, governments agreed on a $5000 support payment for women fleeing domestic violence – $1500 in cash and $3500 as a pre-paid card for goods and services. It’s a good start. Research shows that financial barriers are one of the biggest impediments to victim-survivors leaving violent relationships.
But with Melbourne’s average rental prices at $550 a week, $1500 is unlikely to be enough for a bond for a private rental property.
Which brings us to government housing. According to data from the latest Department of Families, Fairness and Housing annual report, the wait time for public rental housing for people fleeing family violence in Victoria is 23.6 months, up from 11 months in 2020-21.
Two full years.
Allan would never be silly enough to say it, but there is an argument that she doesn’t “hold the hose” on this issue, insofar as she is not in the houses of frightened women and children to stop perpetrators, nor on the beat helping police chase down violent thugs.
But she does hold court in cabinet, and there are levers her government can pull to help address the drivers of gender-based violence, provide assistance and support to those who experience it, and help those when they flee.
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With social media proving a problematic platform for gender-based violent extremism, perhaps it’s time to address the glaring gaps in the law relating to hateful speech on the basis of gender.
This year, cabinet will consider ways to strengthen the state’s anti-vilification protections, presenting another opportunity to tackle the most extreme gendered hate speech. This idea was floated in a 2023 report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which suggested state governments should consider filling the legislative gap by “qualifying gender as a factor for both hate speech and for advocating violence against a group”.
The ASPI report argued that doing so would not only enable a proportionate justice response to counter the most harmful examples of gendered hate speech, but it could also make it easier for social-media platforms to respond to it.
Real life is complex and government policies alone will not eliminate gender-based violence, but it’s one of the best opportunities we have to improve things.
Annika Smethurst is state political editor.
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Source Agencies
