Albanese rejects royal commission push on domestic violence

Christie Hayes, a former Home and Away star who has previously spoken about her experience with domestic violence, challenged the Prime Minister about his government’s handling of the national crisis. She asked him about growing calls for a royal commission into violence against women, during Hit 100.9 Hobart’s breakfast radio show on Monday morning – a day before a man was charged with the alleged murders of a woman and two children in Sydney’s southwest. “What’s you government doing to make serious change in this

country so that we eradicate this violence against women?” Hayes point-blank asked the Prime Minister. “Well there’s no place for violence against women in our society, we have $4.4 billion we’re throwing at this,” Mr Albanese said before listing his government’s initiatives, including committing $100 million for crisis accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence, 10-day paid family and domestic violence leave, and the Leaving Violence Program which offers $5,000 in financial support. “Women feel like they are trapped in these relationships and because

of economics they simply can’t get out, they haven’t got any money.” Hayes pointed out 27 women have already been killed in the first five months of this year alone and stressed the importance for Mr Albanese to keep publicly speaking about the issue. Tensions rose when the radio host asked Mr Albanese on his thoughts on The Red Heart Movement’s petition to launch a Royal Commission into the killing of Australian women and girls – which has so far amassed over 90,000 signatures. “There’s

calls for a royal commission about everything,” Mr Albanese said, before Hayes, who appeared taken aback by the response, interjected. “Well I think deaths of women are pretty paramount, wouldn’t you say?” “Yeah they are but you’ve got to work out what does a royal commission do besides fund lawyers,” Mr Albanese replied.“What we need here is solutions that we know, we know what they are, we know what’s required here. “I understand that people when confronted with an issue will call for Royal Commission,

but we know that there is too much violence against women, we know what keeps women in these relationships, we know what’s required in terms of the economic support to get out, we know there is a need for more alternative housing, we know there is a need for more Commission and for community workers and we need to get on with action.” ‘Disappointing and disgusting’ Many online were quick to praise the radio host for holding the government to account and criticised Mr Albanese’s

response, which many argued focused on the aftermath rather than prevention. “This is a terrible response,” one person wrote, “All that talk about what you’re supposedly doing to support victims but what about prevention?? … Listening to that made me so angry,” another wrote. “His focus is purely tackling the aftermath of violence and no regard to the cause of violence. No mention towards prevention and tackling attitude towards male violence towards women. Soooo sooo disappointing and disgusting!” another wrote. In a statement to news.com.au,

a spokesperson for the Prime Minister said: “We will consider anything that is effective to protect women and their children. We have ongoing consultation with the sector about the best way to have an impact.” It’s not the first time Hayes has called out the government over it’s handling of violence against women. Last year, she suggested the Prime Minister should be the one forced to inform families when a woman is lost to domestic violence. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

I truly believe that the next time we lose a women in Australia, our prime minister should knock on the door, he should sit the families down and he should sit the kids down and say, ‘Kids, I’m really sorry but Mummy is not coming home’,” she said on her radio show. Hayes argues Mr Albanese should be forced to make the funeral arrangements and have conversations, such as around puberty, that a mother would typically handle with her children. “After doing this just one

time, he would make a change because nothing makes someone change like doing something they don’t want to do,” she said at the time. Less than 40km from Hayes’ radio station studios, Tasmania Police said they found a gruesome and disturbing scene at the rural home in Campania, north of Hobart on Friday. “Investigations thus far have indicated that it is a family violence case and we are treating this as a murder-suicide,” said Detective Inspector David Gill. Det Insp Gill described the scene as

‘extremely confronting’ for first responders. “These images that they have seen will stay with them,” he said. In Melbourne on Friday afternoon, police found the bodies of a young couple after they were called to do a welfare check at a home recently listed for sale. Police are awaiting autopsies to identify the causes of death, but it is also suspected to be a murder-suicide. Man charged with alleged murder of woman, two children in Sydney The interview comes as a man was charged with

the alleged murders of a woman and two children in Sydney’s southwest, in what police have described as a “particularly violent crime scene”. Emergency services were called to the Campbelltown address about 7.50pm Monday after receiving a call from the home to triple-0. Police found the bodies of a 46-year-old woman and two young boys, aged four and 12, inside the house. A 47-year-old man was arrested at the scene. The man was taken to a police station where he was charged with three counts

of murder (DV). He was refused bail and is due to face court on Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson revealed NSW Police officers respond to a domestic violence incident every three minutes, totalling 160,000 incidents in a year. “It takes up around 60 per cent of police time … but we can’t arrest our way out of this,” he said after NSW Police announced the arrest of nearly 1000 offenders during a four-day domestic violence crackdown. Despite the staggering number of

reported incidents, Mr Johnson said “it’s probably one of the most underreported (crimes) as well”. “It takes up around 60 per cent of police time. So, it’s a concern and it’s something that we’re on the front foot with always,” he said. Calling it a “scourge”, he said the offenders were engaging in “cowardly behaviour”. Police Minister Yasmin Catley called domestic violence a “stain on our society” after police arrested nearly 1000 offenders and seized dozens of firearms during a four-day crackdown. “If you use

violence, intimidation or coercive control, police will come for you,” Ms Catley said. News.com.au has contacted the Prime Minister’s office for comment. – With NCA NewsWire

Christie Hayes, Anthony Albanese, domestic violence, royal commission, The Red Heart Movement, Hit 100.9 Hobart, Campbelltown, Tasmania Police, murder-suicide, NSW Police, Yasmin Catley, Leaving Violence Program, crisis accommodation