On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Will Hodgman needs to do more than talk about the importance his Government places on the safety of Tasmanian women.
Shadow Minister for Women, Equality and Prevention of Family Violence Michelle O’Byrne said the Government has not acted to ensure women are safe.
“At the same time as Will Hodgman says eliminating family violence is a top priority for his Government, he refuses to ensure that support services are appropriately funded.
“Nearly four months ago, staff of the Family Violence Counselling Support Service pleaded with him to adequately fund support services for victims of family violence.
“At a time when one woman a week is killed through family violence in Australia, demand for this service has grown 200 per cent. At the same time demand has increased, staffing has decreased. The average caseload for a full time worker is 651, which is completely unreasonable.
“These frontline workers are seeking a commitment from Will Hodgman that he will urgently increase funding to meet demand and guarantee the service will be quarantined from the Government’s $450 million budget cuts and outsourcing.
“It’s reprehensible that Will Hodgman can talk publicly today about his commitment to the safety of women when he has not acted on this matter.”
Michelle O’Byrne Shadow
