Louise Miller-Frost
Boothby · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“This has been a big week in parliament and a big week for delivery by the Albanese Labor government. The Solar Saver program started—three hours of power in the middle of the day. We expanded paid parental leave to a full six months. We opened the National Environmental Protection Agency and we opened a new veteran wellbeing agency.”
“More recently, we announced that we will strengthen consumer protections for those on Support at Home by empowering the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to be able to order refunds for overcharged services and to be able to report publicly on investigations and enforcement actions; by producing each quarter a national summary of Su…”
“The demographics are not in our favour. Next year, 90,000 additional Australians will turn 80; 15 years ago that number was 15,000. This has an impact on the service offerings we need to provide, specifically in aged care and health.”
“While we listen to those opposite try to throw blame around and cynically, desperately, try to claw back some votes, we should turn to an independent arbiter as to why the aged-care system is where it is right now.”
“The government's plan to expand and improve aged-care services in Australia will also mean an expansion of end-of-life pathway, providing dignified care to older Australians in their final months.”
“We are confronted with this reality and we are confronting the reality with a plan—a plan that will ensure that every older Australian can get affordable and timely access to the quality care they need and deserve, and a plan that will improve and expand the system to make it fit for purpose and sustainable well into the foreseeable futur…”
The complete record
Every one of 506 lines we hold for Louise Miller-Frost, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 11.
“The proposed amendment would require that approval would additionally need to be sought from the Minister for Health and Ageing where a new product is being proposed or where mooted changes will reduce cover, a benefit, or a term or conditions of an existing product.”
“As the president of the AMA has stated: Private health insurance premiums have outpaced wages and inflation in recent years, all while insurers' management expenses and profits continue to soar … The widespread practice of phoenixing is a major factor in consumers struggling to access the level of cover that meets their needs, and it is eroding public confidence in the private health system. So the minister for health has acted to eliminate this specific practice. This amendment will restore consumer confidence in the private health system. Current arrangements oblige private health insurers to seek the minister for health's approval for change to the premium of an existing product, which is managed administratively during the annual premium round process.”
“Product phoenixing is when a private health insurer closes an existing product and then reopens an identical product at a higher premium, skirting regulatory oversight and ministerial scrutiny. Despite being warned by the minister for health, private health insurers have continued this deceptive practice. Indeed, an investigation by consumer group CHOICE found that the price of gold-tier policies increased on average by more than 30 per cent over a three-year period. This kind of price gouging is not only amoral and unethical; it should be illegal.”
“The ability—the right—to shop around is crucial to the private health marketplace. In fact, the visibility and transparency of medical pricing will reinforce a standard among medical practitioners and insurers that is in keeping not only with market expectations but also with community expectations. The bill also outlaws a widespread practice among private health insurers called product phoenixing. Health insurers are required to limit price rises to a percentage approved by the Minister for Health and Ageing on an annual basis. Some health insurers have been employing what the Commonwealth Ombudsman has dubbed a 'loophole tactic', a deliberate and cynical strategy to get around this price increase limitation.”
“The bill will allow for the publication of information about health facilities such as hospitals, including information about medical practitioners who provide services at the facility and insurers that have gap cover or contracting arrangements with the facility, and will allow for the publication of information about insurers, including policy holders who experience different gap cover arrangements and the out-of-pocket costs under those gap cover arrangements. We all know that specialist fees vary drastically across the country and even within individual communities. These changes to the Medical Costs Finder will provide patients and consumers with efficient and at-hand access to detailed pricing information in order that they can compare costs and make the right decision for themselves.”
“Instead, it will be taken from Medicare, hospitals and insurer billing data already collected by the government Specifically, the bill will amend the Health Insurance Act 1973 and the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to allow for the publication of information about medical practitioners and their billing, including names; qualifications; speciality; any languages spoken; fees charged by location; and their utilisation of gap cover arrangements with insurers, where insurers pay a medical practitioner more if they agree to charge no or fixed out-of-pocket costs.”
“Indeed, she continues: The AMA has pushed hard for Medicare rebates and insurer benefits to be included on the Medical Costs Finder, so that patients get the full picture of why they may face an out-of-pocket cost … Access to insurer data is crucial for patients, alongside clear information on Medicare rebates, which have failed to keep pace with inflation for decades and remain a major driver of out-of-pocket costs. The amendment will allow the Medical Costs Finder website to publish individual medical practitioner and insurer out-of-pocket costs for common medical services, but medical practitioners, including specialists and GPs, will no longer be required to volunteer their own billing information.”
“As at December 2025, that's maybe one to two per cent of specialists and 10 per cent of insurers who decided to participate in the Medical Costs Finder. The problem with the former government's voluntary model, as the president of the AMA, Dr Danielle McMullen describes it, is that private health insurers were extremely reluctant to upload their information, which also created a significant disincentive for doctors to upload their own billing data.”
“Because patients shouldn't be slapped with a bill without the full knowledge of what they're paying for, how much they should be paying, and having the opportunity to compare other medical providers. Additionally, knowing what private health insurers are prepared to cover will help consumers determine their out-of-pocket costs. The former coalition government previously invested $22 million in the Medical Costs Finder website, which is informed by data from Medicare and from the information volunteered by Medicare medical practitioners. By the end of 2022, of the 6,300 medical practitioners registered to practice in the 11 specialities included in Medical Costs Finder, only six decided to voluntarily offer up their pricing information. Three years later, only 88 doctors have signed up.”
“Unsurprisingly, this has seen patients refuse to take up a specialist referral from their GP owing to their fears of the potential costs, which are often unknown and unpredictable. In the financial year 2024-25, 8.6 per cent of patients delayed or missed specialist care, citing cost factors—that is, over 800,000 people. One in two patients don't know what their bill is going to be before an appointment; 38 per cent received an unexpected bill. The proposed legislative arrangement follows Labor's 2025 election commitment and the 2025-26 budget measure to improve transparency in medical pricing information in order that Australians are able to make informed and knowledgeable decisions about their healthcare needs.”
“Secondly, it ensures that price gouging by private health insurers by way of product phoenixing is curbed. As a result, private health consumers can be confident that the cost of their medical service is market standard. The bill ensures that Australians are able to access detailed information about the costs and associated costs of their medical specialist appointment and treatments. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that the cost of medical and hospital services has contributed to health inflation more generally, with flow-on effects for the out-of-pocket costs and higher insurance premiums. The most common cause of out-of-pocket costs are medical specialist fees. The typical out-of-pocket cost for a specialist procedure in Australia is $1,000.”
“In this country, equitable health access is a right, not a privilege, no matter whether you're paying for it via private health or Medicare, and that is why the Albanese Labor government is committed to delivering a private health insurance framework that is fair, efficient and accessible. The Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026 seeks to course-correct longstanding deficits in the private health system. It seeks to enshrine private health consumers' rights and their ability to be the masters of their own health destiny. It does so in two ways. Firstly, it ensures that Australians are able to make an informed choice about the cost of specialist medical advice and treatment through improvements to the Medical Costs Finder tool.”
“More than half of Australians are on some form of private health insurance. Private health is crucial to the sustainability of Australia's broader health system, helping in particular to alleviate an already overburdened public health sector. Yet we all know that private health premiums are rising year on year. Patients deserve peace of mind, knowing that the cost of the care they're receiving is being paid with the full knowledge of their options—peace of mind that they don't need to worry about money in the midst of a serious health crisis, peace of mind that they can seek screening tests or diagnosis without having to worry about unexpected bills. We want Australians to seek diagnosis and early intervention for their own best health outcomes and also to manage costs in the health system by keeping them out of hospital where possible.”
“The shadow Treasurer has said that we should get rid of Medicare and instead have individual accounts that we can draw down on when we need care, which of course would be a disaster for those who are particularly unwell. If you had a lifelong condition, a chronic disease, a cancer diagnosis, a catastrophic injury or a progressive disease, your account would run dry. Despite the benefits of Medicare in making Australian health care affordable as a blended public-private system, gap fees do accrue to patients, and constituents contact me about having to pay an unexpected gap fee or even the entirety of the cost of a GP referred specialist appointment. Health care should not be a financial risk in this country. It shouldn't require hedging your bets when your health is at stake.”
“Prior to Medicare, medical bills were the major cause of bankruptcies in Australia. That ended overnight. It's worth noting that medical bills are still a major cause of bankruptcies in the US, and consequently Americans choose to avoid seeking health care or seeking a diagnosis. They fear the costs pushing them into bankruptcy and homelessness. That's why the US health system is the most expensive in the modern world and has the worst results at a population level. This is not what we want for Australia and for Australians. Despite its challenges, Australia's health system is the best in the world. If you are sick or injured, you wouldn't want to be anywhere else. We know that those opposite oppose Medicare.”
“These reforms are intended to bolster individuals rights and afford them protection when it comes to their healthcare decisions, recalibrating a health system that should be working for them, not against them. It's an amendment that has been a decade in the making. I again pay particular tribute to Dr Jane Tiller, whose tireless campaigning over the last few years has now seen deserved success. I commend the bill to the House.”
“Genetics and genomics are reshaping clinical practice and changing the way that we manage a range of heritable conditions, cancer predisposition syndromes and rare cancers. The ban will mean that individuals can give written consent to volunteer their genetic testing information to life insurers if they determine it is to their benefit, and life insurers are still able to use symptoms, diagnosis and family history to ensure that their policies are properly risk rated and underwritten. In addition, these changes create both civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance and attribute the powers of enforcement and oversight to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASIC, as per the government's commitment.”
“It protects individuals who have a high risk of a heritable condition from life insurers raising the premiums on their cover or even denying it. As a result, more Australians will be encouraged to undergo genetic testing without the looming anxiety of their life insurer potentially altering their cover, because of which Australians will be able to obtain preventive and earlier treatment, potentially saving thousands of lives and thousands of years of disability. Australians will also be encouraged to participate in clinical research, which will help to advance new scientific medical developments and, ultimately, greater health outcomes. Genetic research is critical in improving the screening, early diagnosis and treatment of patients.”
“Treasury analysis indicates that people are likely to avoid or delay genetic testing or to refuse to participate in medical research for fear they will be penalised by their insurer. Remarkably, life insurers do not need to provide reasons for their decision to charge higher premiums or to decline insurance. They do not need to advise if a genetic test may have been a factor. A life insurer's assessment of their financial risk may be at odds with the medical assessment of risk. Ironically, by discouraging consumers from accessing genetic testing and early intervention, they may in fact end up paying more as their consumers get sicker and die from conditions that may have been preventable if they'd been empowered to get that prevention. This amendment puts an end to the exploitative and illogical practice.”
“The government, through its Medical Research Future Fund Genomics Health Futures Mission, is investing $500.1 million in genomic medical research over 10 years from 2018-19. The Minister for Health and Ageing previously announced new listings on the MBS for a range of genetic tests valued at $148.5 million over the next four years. Additionally, the government is consulting with states and territories on the development of a nationally cohesive approach to medical genomics, including the establishment of a national genomics body. That life insurers should potentially hold genetic testing against individuals, and therefore put their health at risk, is indefensible. Australians should not have to be forced to choose between life and death when there are alternatives that can identify risks and enable treatments to be implemented.”
“The early identification of an increased risk of developing a condition empowers the individual and their treating team to make rational decisions to limit the risk. As in the well-known public health metaphor of the fence at the top of the cliff versus the ambulance at the bottom—where the relatively cheap preventive force of the fence at the top stops someone falling off the cliff and needing an expensive and potentially less effective ambulance service—genetic testing is that fence at the top of the cliff. The Albanese Labor government is committed to the future of genetic testing and research for Australians, a health system and scientific frontier focusing on prevention and early intervention that is crucial for the health outcomes of all Australians.”
“Ultimately, people are postponing or avoiding undergoing genetic testing in case it should negatively impact on their life insurance cover. Parents are reluctant to tell their children of any genetic condition and recommend testing in case it should impact their policy. Genetic testing is crucial for determining whether an individual has a genetic disease or condition. Many common life-threatening illnesses are influenced by genetic factors: cancer, autoimmune diseases, degenerative diseases and many other conditions. Genetic testing allows individuals and their medical practitioners to plan for every contingency. Genetic and genomic health technology can be used to determine whether an individual is likely to develop genetic conditions later in life.”
“The industry led moratorium in place since 2019 prescribes that companies will allow individuals to take out life insurance up to certain limits without having to disclose a genetic test. However, the report of Monash University's Australian Genetics and Life Insurance Moratorium: Monitoring the Effectiveness and Response, A-GLIMMER, finds that many individuals are still dissuaded from getting a genetic test for fear of discrimination in their life insurance policy and that, because the moratorium is industry self-regulated, there is little certainty for consumers. Currently, there is no government oversight of the industry led moratorium, and there's no review process for individuals to challenge insurers' decisions in the event that they may be influenced by genetic testing results.”
“This legislation provides that confidence to Australians—that they can proceed with genetic and genomic testing without it impacting their ability to get life insurance and without it affecting their premiums. This legislative amendment brings into alignment the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, ensuring that our antidiscrimination laws do not lag behind the medical science and ensuring that Australians with adverse genetic test results are protected in their dealings with life insurers, because this is as much a human rights issue as it is a medical one. No-one with a disability should be discriminated against, including those with genetic variations, and we want to encourage people to look after their health, including through preventive and early intervention measures, such as genomic screening.”
“A 2018 parliamentary inquiry into the life insurance industry recommended a ban on the use of genetic results in life insurance underwriting. In 2019, the life insurance industry introduced a partial, self-regulated moratorium, which prohibited the use of genomic testing results for underwriting policies above certain financial limits. But the moratorium did not provide confidence to Australians that the results would not be used against them, and we know that many people chose, and still choose, not to proceed with genetic testing as a result. The self-regulated moratorium had no government oversight and therefore failed to meet the expectations of the parliamentary inquiry.”
“Specifically, it bans life insurers from assessing eligibility for cover or the terms and conditions of the cover on the basis of the results of a genetic test, thereby ending the discriminatory practices of insurers who would, as is their job, prioritise their financial bottom line over people's health. I'd like to pause here and thank Dr Jane Tiller from the public health and genomics unit at Monash University, who's been a consistent campaigner on this issue. Dr Tiller is very familiar to many of us here in the halls of parliament, as she's made her way around, making the case on a bipartisan basis, for a number of years—backed by data, backed by science and backed by compassion and a commitment to improving the health of Australians by encouraging them to get informed about their risks and to manage those risks.”
“The Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025 will ensure that any adverse findings as a result of a genetic test will not impinge on the determination of an individual's cover for life insurance. No-one should be dissuaded from potentially life-saving testing out of a fear of discrimination in life insurance products. Australia lags globally on this issue. The UK, Canada, Europe, the US and New Zealand have all implemented some form of prohibition or ban. This bill seeks to rectify this blind spot in our current framework.”
“We want people, particularly those who know they have a family history of a particular disease state, to get tested and be able to make those informed decisions so they can stay healthy or seek early treatment. One of the barriers to this has been where life insurance companies have required individuals to disclose the results of genetic testing and have used this either to deny life insurance or to increase premiums, which is completely counterintuitive. Those people who know they have a susceptibility and are actively managing the risks to prevent the disease state from developing are, in fact, at lower risk of death or disability from that disease than those who have the genetic predisposition but don't know it and therefore aren't able to seek screening or early intervention.”
“Our modern health system is amazing. Our health system here in Australia, despite its challenges, is the best in the world. If you're sick or you're injured, you wouldn't want to be anywhere else. But no-one wants to be sick, and as in all things, prevention is better than cure. It's cheaper and more effective. So a lot of focus in the health system goes to health prevention, and if you can't prevent disease, then early intervention is next best. One of the amazing areas of health that has advanced so much in recent years is genetic testing. We know that a number of conditions have a genetic link, either directly causal or in terms of susceptibility. So genetic testing, identifying an individual or a family's genetic susceptibility to conditions, enables them to make informed decisions about screening, preventive actions and treatments.”
“My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering AUKUS across the country, including in my home state of South Australia? How does this compare to other approaches?”
“Renting should be accessible, secure and fair because every Australian deserves a place where they can build their life, a place to raise a family and watch them grow, a place that provides warmth and security where memories can be made and celebrated—a place to call home.”
“All of these have been crucial in helping Australians to get into their own home; indeed, 230,000 Australians have already taken up the five per cent deposit. The shadow minister for housing—they now have one—has dismissed this scheme as a 'gimmick', which tells you all you need to know about attitude of those opposite towards broader homeownership. But by shaving years off the time you would normally take to save for a deposit, the Albanese Labor government is giving every first homebuyer the opportunity to buy a house now, with a small deposit and a smaller mortgage. The concept of homeownership has often been described as a dream and it is the Australian dream. But we need to be using more concrete terms than 'dream'. Homeownership should be available to all Australians.”
“With the Housing Australia Future Fund's first round of funding announced in September 2024, the government has already completed 6,000 new homes under that scheme, with 24,000 in planning and under construction—again, no surprises in terms of the coalition's determination to do all they can to do nothing. That's 6,000 new social and affordable homes built despite the coalition's dogged attempts to delay the housing fund. In fact, the coalition made it a centrepiece of their election commitments last year to cut the Housing Australia Future Fund—a trend they continue to this day, with their attempts to get rid of build-to-rent laws, Help to Buy and five per cent deposits, with no viable option to address the issue.”
“We've seen construction costs, which under the coalition had reached a 50-year high of 17 per cent, brought down by 1.8 per cent. It is an ambitious plan that's delivering ambitious results because these are big and complex issues that will require long-term commitment. That is why the Albanese Labor government has also committed to, and is on track to, delivering 55,000 new social and affordable homes. If ever proof was needed that the coalition dawdled away a decade in government, they delivered just 373 social and affordable homes nationwide.”
“The coalition, on the other hand, did not set a single housing target during their 10 long years in government—not even a whisper of a target. They didn't even have a housing minister for six of those years. They cared so little. And now they try to tell Australians that this has only been an issue for four years. Talk about being out of touch! The Albanese Labor government, not yet five years in, has already seen more than 570,000 new homes built nationwide. We're working with states and territories to ensure that planning reforms will have tangible benefits for communities. We're modernising methods of construction to ensure efficiency and reliability. We've seen the number of new home sales increase by 11.6 per cent in the last year alone.”
“We on this side of the House recognise the enormity of the situation and that an ambitious plan is required to address many of the underlying issues. That is why the Albanese Labor government has committed an unprecedented $45 billion to build more homes, to make homeownership more affordable and to ensure that renting is accessible, secure and fair. The Albanese Labor government's plan sets an ambitious national target of 1.2 million new homes. As Minister O'Neill says, yes, it is ambitious because it needs to be. This will involve lessening the burden of bureaucracy and red tape, ensuring there is infrastructure to service those new homes and to train more tradies who are at the heart of the process of the build.”
“In 2000, the average age of a first home buyer was around 30. Today, the average age of a first home buyer is around 37. This is a symptom of the housing affordability crisis that has taken grip in this country for decades, ever since the Howard government's policies destroyed the housing market for future generations. They were warned. They chose to go ahead. Younger Australians are no longer able to afford their own home. They're not even able to get their foot in the door for a rental property. Families who might have been able to afford their own home decades ago are now priced out of the market. The coalition, who claim to have the miracle cure for all our housing woes, did nothing during their decade of government.”
“There's also an upcoming Ramadan festival organised by the Islamic Society of South Australia at the Park Holme mosque, which has reached out to the local community with notices of road closures and invitations to come along, have a chat, enjoy the food and enjoy the celebration. These are all really important ways for community groups to strengthen our community. These organisations are demonstrating Australian values in action, and I congratulate them all and the very many secular organisations that do the same. Together, they make our society better, richer, safer and stronger.”
“I am constantly grateful that my parents took that enormous step to leave behind family, friends and everything they knew on the other side of the world and restart their lives and careers here in Australia. This is a wonderful country, and we need to protect it and protect Australian values. I attended events such as the iftar at the Mahmood Mosque; another iftar run by Pinnacle College, which was also multifaith and included many representatives from a wide range of civil society groups; and the multifaith day of mourning event service held by St Peter's Anglican Cathedral in conjunction with the Jewish community.”
“Its motto is 'love for all, hatred for none'. What a fine principle to live your life by. I was last at the mosque for their celebration of NAIDOC week. They reached out to the First Nations community to celebrate and respect their 65,000 years of custodianship. All three of these faith traditions are excellent examples of Australian values in action. When I talk about Australian values, the Australian values statement, which is part of the Australian visa and citizenship forms, says: including freedom from religion, plus freedom of speech and freedom of association— and importantly— Like 25 per cent of all Australians, I am a migrant.”
“The imam, bishop and rabbi all spoke about the tradition of fasting in their own faith traditions, and the similarities in the use of fasting, its purpose and its meaning were remarkable across the three faiths. Many of the other politicians and I then had an opportunity to speak to the combined congregation. I spoke about the importance of such events as this to increase understanding in our broader community. Extending the hand of friendship across what others would tell us are boundaries is a really important way to make our community stronger and safer. There are forces out there that seek to divide us. They use fear and stoke division for their own personal gain. But, when we reach out the hands of friendship to each other, we show them that we are stronger than they are. Mahmood Mosque is known for reaching out into the community.”
“Another honoured guest was Bishop Sophie Relf-Christopher from the Adelaide diocese of the Anglican Church, whom I've known for a number of years since she was Rev. Sophie at the St Jude's Anglican Church in Brighton, in my electorate of Boothby. Finally, the third honoured guest was Rabbi Frankie Salzman from the Beit Shalom Jewish synagogue. Rabbi Frankie is relatively new to Adelaide. I have been pleased to get to know them, with an introduction from the former rabbi and my good friend Shoshana Kaminsky. Also present at the iftar event were members of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities of Adelaide and a wide range of federal, state and local politicians from all sides of politics.”
“A bishop, a rabbi and an imam walked into a room. I confess that this line was actually stolen from Imam Kamran Tahir, who started his iftar speech by noting that this is in fact usually the opening line to a joke. But in this instance it was in regard to a really interesting and important multi-faith event that I was honoured to attend and speak at. Mahmood Mosque, part of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, hosted an iftar a couple of weeks ago. The evening feast celebrated the breaking of the Ramadan fast after sunset. They invited well-known Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri Elder Uncle Moogy as an honoured guest, who gave an interesting and informative welcome to country. Uncle Moogy is very respected in the broader Adelaide community and is always informative, educational and entertaining.”
“So far we've received around 130 high-quality submissions from peak bodies, organisations and individuals from the family domestic violence sector, the sexual assault and sexual abuse survivors sector and suicide mental health sectors, as well as submissions from multicultural groups, men's groups, LGBTQI groups and groups representing children, young people and much more. This is an important piece of work, and we're keen to ensure we've looked at it in the context of the broad community. If you're interested, please have a look at the website and respond to the terms of reference.”
“Minister Plibersek has also made a referral to the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, which I chair, to conduct an inquiry into the linkages between family, domestic and sexual violence and suicide. Suicides in the context of family, domestic and sexual violence, including coercive control, are not currently counted in the statistics of domestic violence fatalities. This was one of the recommendations of the rapid review and is something advocates have been calling for, for a long time. We are currently calling for submissions that respond to the terms of reference, which are on the committee website and the Parliament House website.”
“Since then, our government has invested $3.9 billion in the new National Access to Justice Partnership, including a critical $800 million increase in funding to the legal assistance sector. We've invested $82.4 million to strengthen responses to high-risk and serial perpetrators of family and domestic violence, including developing national risk assessment principles and trialling innovative approaches to high-risk perpetrators. We've invested $81.3 million to enhance and expand child-centric, trauma-informed supports for children and young people with experience of violence, and today Minister Plibersek announced a further 72 per cent increase in funding for frontline family, domestic and sexual violence workers.”
“We've invested $8.3 million in the Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence project with La Trobe University to build the evidence base on what works to prevent sexual violence. In May 2024 the government commissioned an expert panel to conduct a rapid review of prevention approaches to gender based violence. The review complemented the work underway under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children and provided advice to government about opportunities to further accelerate efforts. The rapid review was received in August, and, on 6 September 2024, National Cabinet agreed to progressively respond to the rapid review and use its recommendations to inform strengthened prevention services across all governments, state and federal.”
“With the states and territories, we've improved criminal justice responses to sexual violence. We've invested record legal services funding—an extra $800 million in family violence legal services—and we've established the new National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence, with legislation passed in the last sitting. We're also focused on the prevention of sexual violence through a better understanding of consent. Our government has invested $40 million in the Consent Can't Wait campaign, launched on 26 May 2024, and we've invested $3.5 million to support Teach Us Consent to develop and distribute social media resources for young people aged 16 and above about sexual violence and consent.”
“We know that women often stay in dangerous relationships because they can't see any way out other than homelessness, which is itself a significant safety risk, so we have invested $1.2 billion in emergency and transitional accommodation. We've legislated 10 days of paid domestic violence leave so women can make the arrangements to leave and talk to lawyers and other services without having to lose money or organise such appointments after hours, when it might alert the perpetrators that they're leaving. We've expanded the discretion for Centrelink so perpetrators can't use the social security system to leave survivors with tens of thousands of dollars of debt. This is called the special circumstances debt waiver. We've reformed the family law system so that it is safer, simpler and more accessible.”
“People need to know: if you're using violence, your friends, your family, your neighbours and your colleagues will be horrified. While we need the community to come along on this journey and establish a culture of safety and nonviolence, we recognise that there is a really important role for government in this as well. The Albanese government has invested more than any previous government in directly tackling this appalling scourge on our society. Since coming to government, Labor has invested more than $4 billion in frontline services, preventive programs, behaviour change and programs for children. We've made the leaving violence payment permanent—$5,000 in financial help and safety planning for women leaving violence.”