Anthony Albanese’s minister reveals shameful truth about domestic violence promise

The government is remaining tight-lipped about what more it could do in this month’s federal budget to tackle domestic violence, as it comes under increasing pressure to deliver on existing promises.

National Cabinet this week agreed to extend the $5,000 grant to help people leave domestic violence behind, but advocates are disappointed that governments haven’t done more to address critical shortages on the front lines to take.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, who is also Minister for Women, admitted on Sunday that she believed only 30 of the 500 workers promised by Labor on the frontline of domestic abuse have been recruited so far.

She said it was up to the states to get that number up, and hoped it would increase significantly in the coming months.

“They have signed an agreement to hire the vast majority of them in the first half of this year, but they say staffing and recruitment is an issue,” she told ABC’s Insiders.

In 2022, the government has committed $169 million over four years to fund 500 new frontline workers to help people experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, to be recruited by states.

During the week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struggled to put a figure on how many workers were currently on site.

Following Senator Gallagher’s revelation, Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said it was “simply not good enough” that Labor could not deliver on the promises it had made.

‘This isn’t good enough. When was the last time these figures were requested by the Minister for Women and why is she not asking for updates every day?’ she said in a statement with Coalition for the Prevention of Domestic Violence spokesperson Kerrynne Liddle.

‘It is the Prime Minister himself who made the promise and so it is his government’s responsibility to deliver on it – and not blame the states and territories.

‘Labor must tackle the family violence crisis by delivering what was promised and with more measures in the next Budget that will change this procedure.’

The current agreement expires in June.

The government has committed $169 million over four years to fund 500 new frontline domestic violence workers (pictured from left to right Senator Gallagher, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese)

Elsewhere, Greens are calling on the government to ‘take women’s safety seriously’ by doubling funding for the National Housing and Homelessness Treaty to $3.6 billion a year.

Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather pointed to recent government data that more than 96 percent of people fleeing violence were denied long-term housing, describing this as a “national disgrace”.

“Doubling funding for housing and homelessness would ensure that every woman escaping domestic violence has shelter and support, plain and simple,” Mr Chandler-Mather said.

‘If Labor can find $50 billion in the budget for additional military spending over the next ten years, then they can certainly find at least $40 billion in the next ten years to ensure housing and homelessness services have everything they need to house and assist every woman fleeing domestic violence. ‘

The Prime Minister (pictured center) faces calls from the Greens to double the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement

Senator Gallagher said it was easy for the Greens to call for an increase in funding because they did not have to balance a budget.

‘The Greens say you have to double everything. The Greens don’t have to manage a budget,” she said.

‘There is a lot of pressure on the budget. We try to do what we can with every budget, and we think deeply about these decisions, and then we figure out what’s possible.”

She said the government is currently negotiating the upcoming agreement with the states.

Senator Gallagher also remained tight-lipped on whether government would increase payments for single parenthood or rental assistance, which social services insist on.

She said the government had increased the single parenthood payment in the previous budget and “expanded access” to the payment “specifically in response to some of the work being done around women experiencing violence and the choices about how on which they leave’ is limited.

Senator Gallagher (pictured) has not released details on whether the government will increase single parenthood payments and rental assistance in the upcoming federal budget.

‘I think the Treasurer and I have made it clear, and the Prime Minister too, that with every budget we look at what we can do with the payment system to make sure we provide as much support as possible to people who need that extra help necessary,” she said.

She said the government was focusing on economic equality for women.

“Part of the answer is the payment system, part of it is how we address gender equality and gender pay gaps more broadly,” she said.

“There is a whole-of-government response to these issues. It’s not just one thing.’