Another budget fails to do anything to stop men’s violence

Scott Morrison thought women were too stupid to see through announceable inaction and lost an election. He may not be the only one.

One of the many mistakes made by the Morrison government was assuming that women enraged by endless violence could be placated by duplicitous platitudes and toothless re-announcements of failed programs. Voters responded by booting Liberal MPs out of blue ribbon seats and changing the government.

Labor promised a new and different approach. Six months after winning government they released a new National Plan to end Violence Against Women and Children. After a bit of scuffling, they added an outcomes framework with a few specific targets and put some pretty hefty funding into it in their first budget. Good start, but that’s all it was. A start.

One of the few measurable targets set in the new National Plan was a “25 per cent reduction per year in female victims of intimate partner homicide” (emphasis mine). According to Counting Dead Women Australia data (still provided by volunteers despite Labor’s 2023 promise to fund this data collection) 15 women had been killed by men at the end of April 2023. By the same time this year, that number was 28. I’ve searched for any record of a journalist asking the government about the target, or who is responsible for it, or who is answerable for such a dismal failure. I couldn’t find one. As far as I can tell, no journalist even knows about it.

And yesterday we had another federal budget.

A few years back, an enthusiastic HR manager booked me to speak about the gender pay gap for her company’s International Women’s Day event. Two days before the event the CFO cancelled the gig because the very idea had upset the men in senior management. He sent me, by way of apology, a bottle of sickly chocolate liqueur. It sat on my shelf for a few months until I needed an appropriate birthday present for an acquaintance’s horrible husband.

I was reminded of that regifted sickly liqueur when I read the federal budget yesterday. The centrepiece of their alleged efforts on men’s violence against women is $925.2 million (over five years) to extend a Morrison era program that didn’t work, the Leaving Violence Program. It purports to offer people who meet the eligibility criteria (and have a bank account not being controlled by an abusive man) a cash payment of up to $1500 and voucher payments of up to $3500. In the pilot, only around one third of applicants were given the payment, delays and bureaucracy were rife. The program doesn’t start until July 2025.

Sure, it’s better than nothing, but it’s a short-term, inadequate payment that doesn’t even begin to cover the cost of physical, emotional, financial and psychological recovery from the effects of men’s violence.

There is nothing  in this budget that even starts on the structural changes to the legal, financial, educational, medical, and housing systems that will provide women with an effective escape from violent and abusive men. There is a bit of tinkering around the edges of healthcare, safety, and economic security for women, but again, nothing structural or long term.

There was nothing in the budget for the frontline services that cannot meet the overwhelming demand from women and children trying to escape violent men.

The frontline services that struggle to keep women and children safe were flinging out press releases yesterday. Most news outlets ignored them. Two weeks ago those same news outlets doing wall to wall coverage of the Australia wide protests against inaction on mens’ violence against women. Although to be fair, most of them were just squabbling about whether it’s excusable for Anthony Albanese to snap at traumatised and exhausted women.

SBS noticed the desultory budget response to men’s violence. Jaqueline Maley at The Age made some wry jokes (who can blame her) in her reminder that women vote. Nine did a sterling service as a stenographer of the women’s budget statement, and The Guardian listed the Leaving Violence Program as a win for women. Other than SBS, Crikey, and The Australian (!!), no journalists noticed or understood the government’s failure to invest in the frontline services who struggle to deal with the effects of men’s violence against women, the economic cost of which was estimated at $13.6 billion in 2022.

As I have written before, there are around 250 members of the Canberra press gallery and at least 200 sports journalists in Australia, but there is no media outlet that has even one journalist with expertise in men’s violence against women. This is the result.

Both major parties have proven they are incapable of seeing, let alone changing, the structural supports for men’s violence against women. It’s not just unconscionable, it’s short-sighted and self-defeating.

On current trajectory, another 40 women will be killed by men by the end of this year. At least another 100,000 will be sexually assaulted by men and, at minimum, another 100,000 will be physically assaulted. Remember those photos of the Taylor Swift concert at the MCG? That many women.  

All the women who survive still vote. All those women’s friends and families vote. All the people who work at the frontline services ignored by the federal government vote, and so do their friends and families.

Voters in the last election swept away the coalition government and put a raft of smart, capable, committed women on the cross bench. There are 151 seats in the House of Representatives and majority government requires 76 seats. Labor won 77 in the last election. They are fools if they think tinkering while women die will win them another majority.  

Here are some of the statements issued by peak bodies and the few not-for-profit organisations who had the time and resources to read the budget and make a statement:

“With at least 28 women murdered in Australia already this year, the scope and scale of the family violence crisis in the country calls for old, enduring and coordinated action from the Commonwealth. Unfortunately that’s not what we’re seeing in this budget.” Tania Farhar, CEO, Safe and Equal

Safe and Equal is the peak body for specialist family violence services that provide support to victim survivors in Victoria.

“This budget means many women’s legal services will have to star planning to reduce services to women experiencing gender-based violence.” Elena Rosenman  Chair, Women’s Legal Services Australia

Women’s Legal Services Australia is the peak organisation for Community Legal Centres specialising in women’s legal issues.

“We still have unmet need and services too stretched to meet the need.” Kerry Staines, CEO, National Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Forum

The National Peak Body for Family Violence Prevention Legal Services (FVPLS) around Australia that provide culturally safe and holistic services to First Nations people affected by family violence – predominantly women and children.

“Targeted prevention programs are a critical component in reducing men’s violence against women and children. We constantly have to turn away desperate requests for help because there is no funding.” Deanne Carson, CEO, Body Safety Australia

Body Safety Australia delivers primary prevention of violence education to children, young people, teachers, families, and communities.

“While we are encouraged by the investment into pay parity for our staff, we still urgently require long-term funding beyond the next 13 months. Without guaranteed and expanded investment, we risk losing staff which puts Aboriginal women and children’s lives at risk.” Antoinette Braybrook AM, CEO, Djirra

Djirra is a place where culture is shared and celebrated, and where practical support is available to all Aboriginal women and particularly to Aboriginal people who are currently experiencing family violence or have in the past. Djirra is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation governed by an Aboriginal Board of Directors who are elected by their members.

“There is no new funding for frontline services, particularly for specialist sexual violence services. There are huge funding gaps across response and recovery programs, which is where the critical work is done providing support to victim-survivors.” Karen Bevan, CEO, Full Stop Australia

Full Stop Australia is one of the country's leading sexual, domestic and family violence response and recovery services.

“We can’t ensure women are safe and free if governments don’t take serious action on sexual violence both within family violence and separate from it. There is little in this budget to suggest the federal government is willing to do this with the urgency needed.” Kathleen Maltzahn, Deputy Chair, National Association of services Against Sexual Violence

National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence (NASASV) is the peak body for a diverse range of specialist organisations who provide prevention and response services to people who are at risk or experience sexual violence in Australia

“We were disappointed by the lack of investment in front line services working with men to change their behaviour” Phillip Ripper, CEO, No To Violence

No To Violence is the largest peak body in Australia for organisations and individuals who work with men to end family violence.

The leaving Violence Program offers up to $5,000 of financial support to victim survivors but fails to account for the immediate requirements of women with disabilities, like specialise equipment.” Diana Piantedosi, Director of Police, Advocacy and Community Engagement, Women with Disabilities Victoria

Women with Disabilities Victoria (WDV) is a not-for-profit Disabled Peoples Organisation (DPO) representing women with disabilities in Victoria.

The investment into the primary prevention of violence against women and children is very thin in this budget” Dr Adel Murdolo, CEO, Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health

Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health (MCWH) is a community-based, not-for-profit organisation led by, for and with women from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

“WEL welcomes the many modest initiatives outlined in the Federal Government’s comprehensive Women’s Budget Statement. “But many other Budget initiatives fall far short in funding adequacy or remain unfunded”, said Jozefa Sobski, National Women’s Electoral Lobby Convenor.

Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) has been a constant, prominent and relevant voice in the gender advocacy, policy and equality sector for over five decades. We advocate for equality and justice for all women. We carry out important research and campaign to knock down the barriers that hold women back from a life of dignity, safety and independence. 

“While any additional funding is welcome, the Government's efforts lack the necessary scale to prevent homelessness in the first place, and to provide long-term relief to those without safe, secure and affordable homes. This is like bailing out a sinking boat with a bucket instead of repairing the leak.” Ben Carblis, Executive, Mission Australia

Mission Australia's integrated nationwide services help people find safe and affordable housing, support disadvantaged children and families, empower troubled young people, assist people with mental illness and disability, and much more.

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Disclaimer: I am currently employed as Director of Advocacy at Body Safety Australia, quoted above