ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: National Cabinet came together today to take steps forward on what is out shared commitment to end violence against women and children. This is the second special National Cabinet convened to deal with these issues following our meeting in May. Today we're announcing a new $4.7 billion has been established for gender based violence and frontline legal services through new agreements between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories. This is on top of the already record funding that the Commonwealth has committed for women's safety and the work that States and Territories are doing as well. This is on top of, as well, the billions of dollars that my Government has committed for housing and support for single parents that we know will be of particular importance for women and children escaping domestic violence. We know that a nationally coordinated approach is required to address this national crisis. We must act to ensure women are safe. These horrific and disturbing deaths and vile violence must be prevented. Achieving this demands action and change at every level of government. But more than that, it also requires action from every part of our society. Today we discussed how we can accelerate change under the National Plan. We focused on action in four areas. Supporting the critical work of frontline services. Turning our eyes on perpetrators to stop violence from escalating. Providing more support for children and young people who've experienced violence. And tackling the impacts of alcohol on violence. We discussed the importance of access to legal assistance for Australians when they're in crisis, including when facing domestic, family and sexual violence. My Government will invest a total of $3.9 billion over five years in support for frontline legal assistance services to be delivered through a new partnership agreement with the States and Territories. Importantly, it will ensure as well that there's an uplift in pay parity for people working in community legal centres, which has been one of the issues that has been outstanding. That will be addressed through this new agreement. The Commonwealth will also contribute $351 million towards a new five year national partnership agreement on family, domestic and sexual violence responses from July next year. That funding will be matched by the States and the Territories. Today we've had a constructive discussion following on from the constructive dialogue that we had in the lead up to this special National Cabinet meeting. The discussions that we had last night were conducive to that. We all understand the responsibility that we have to make a difference and we certainly are committed to doing just that. We're happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: The man to your left said this morning that your colleague Amanda Rishworth had been gratuis-, gratuitous-, gratuatitis, whatever, attacking the States, and that because they've been unable to get sufficient frontline workers. I think it's the numbers, 198 when there should be 352 by the end of June. We heard from Chris Minns this morning saying that States are simply struggling to find those workers. What do you say of the criticism from Steven Miles with regards to this contest?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what I say is that we're working constructively with the States and Territories. We provided funding for 500 additional frontline workers and I know that every single Premier and Chief Minister is committed to delivering that.
JOURNALIST: Steven.
STEVEN MILES, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: The comments I was responding to are unhelpful, but we've been able to secure, I think, a really valuable deal today because all of the leaders of the States and Territories and the Prime Minister agree that this is a major challenge and that we need to work together to address it.
JOURNALIST: PM, not all the challenges are about money. Some of the issues that have come up earlier in the year are things like bail laws and whether more needs to be done at a State level about bail laws that let men out who then go on to kill or threaten women. Has there been any momentum or improvement today on any agreement on anything to do on bail laws? And would any Premier like to comment on what could be done about bail laws?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I invite any of the Premiers or Chief Ministers to speak, but from the Commonwealth perspective, what I've seen is a commitment from First Ministers to act across the board. There's an understanding, indeed, that it isn't just about funds, that it's also about culture, but it's also about the law, largely of which resides with the States and Territories. And we've seen, even since the action in May, we’ve seen a range of measures taken by States and Territories.
CHRIS MINNS, PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES: Yeah, look, we've changed the law in New South Wales so that those who are charged with serious domestic violence offences have the reverse presumptions in relation to bail and remand. We're also pursuing electronic monitoring for those that are at high risk of offending, to keep, particularly women, safe in the community. And they are important changes. It's not the limit to reform at the State level and we've been trying to steal as many good initiatives as we possibly can from states like Victoria, where the prevalence of domestic violence is lower than in New South Wales. We recognise the numbers are not good in our state and that change needs to happen. Part of it's money, part of it’s law change, but a massive element of reform is a cultural change in the community. And I think that this agreement today goes some way of striking that national balance.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on the legal service funding, is that money going to be specifically for specialist women's legal services or will it be given to community legal services more broadly? And does that include money, you mentioned a wage increase, but does it also include money for actually extra lawyers, more people?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, it does. In a word. There's three things that it includes funding for. Firstly is the agreement ended in June of next year, so the current financial year, drops off to zero. There was no funding put in the Budget, not unlike some of the other chasms that were created or cliffs that were created fiscally by the former Government. What we've done today is agree that there's a need to continue that funding and indeed, even beyond the five years. What the Attorneys-General will look at is how we make sure that there's not a funding cliff in the future. Because quite clearly, if you're going to, for example, in the fourth year of a five year agreement, if you want to attract a lawyer to work in a particular community, in Canberra north, they need the security if they're moving particularly to an area that the funding will continue into the future. So, three things on top of where the previous agreement was. One is indexation and a higher rate of indexation. The second is dealing with pay parity and then on top of that, an additional $500 million as well, which will be particularly for women needing those legal services. That will be done, of course, managed through the States and Territories, will have oversight in the way that these things work. They're in the best position to determine where the funding needs are. But we know that for many women, it was one of the things that was identified in the rapid review, these services, just like the leaving violence payment was important to provide that financial support going forward. That was something that arose out of the first National Cabinet meeting that we had. In this case, those legal services making sure that that is prioritised going forward will flow through.
JOURNALIST: Are these not necessarily, specialist women's legal services. The States will decide?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that will be amongst, yes, there will be increased funding for specialist women's services. What we didn't do today was identify, there will be this dollar going to this women's legal service in this suburb. But the additional funding will allow for States and Territories to make sure that women's legal services have been prioritised. That is the purpose of the additional Commonwealth funding.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just in terms of specific assistance for Indigenous domestic violence victims. What's being done on that front? And just as an addition to that, this morning, the NT Chief Minister was talking about needs based funding, as opposed to per capita funding in the Territory. Did you have any luck with that argument?
PRIME MINISTER: When it comes to needs based funding, we have specific programs, including our $250 million central Australia package, that has a range of funding as a part of that for community services. And when I visited in Alice Springs, I've spoken to those services, so there are specific funding available there. We have, Indigenous legal services are part of the reason why we have that pay parity of lifting up the pay of people who work in community legal centres is precisely because many of those centres where you don't have the same, the pay equity, are in those remote communities that particularly provide services for Indigenous Australians.
JOURNALIST: Can I ask the Victorian Premier, your New South Wales colleague just referenced the lower rates for domestic violence in your state. Can you tell us what programs are working in your state that might be able to be applied across the other jurisdictions?
JACINTA ALLAN, PREMIER OF VICTORIA: We held a royal commission into this back in 2016, and the outcome of that royal commission achieved a couple of things. It identified absolutely this was a priority for the Government and therefore we had to look at how to drive, it wasn't system change, it was, how do we build a system? Because particularly for women and children experiencing family violence, there wasn't a system there that wrapped its arms around women and children and kept them as the centre of the system's focus, but also held the perpetrator in view as well. And so, to echo what Chris said, yes, funding is absolutely important. And we've invested since that time over $4 billion in putting additional resources, additional workers, additional support into the prevention of family violence space in Victoria. But what has been critically important and what has driven the outcomes we're seeing, let's be clear too, there's still a long way to go. What has driven those outcomes is we now have data sharing, information sharing. So, a woman, a child, comes to a point in the system, it might be through Victoria Police, it might be through reaching out and providing support to a specialist agency, but all those agencies share that data about that women, about her circumstances, and then wrap their arms around them. But also, too, the other big change driver in Victoria has been the focus on prevention. We've got to do more to stop the violence before it starts. And that is why programs, like our respectful relationships program that we have now rolled out to every school in Victoria, is about, at that very earliest of age, understanding what good healthy relationships look like, but also what to do when they're not good healthy relationships. So, it's about making sure that we are tackling the really hard end of the system, which is where we need to focus on women and children and also perpetrators, but also to, looking at what the cultural change is that we need to drive. And that's why the outcomes of today, yes, there will still be, there will still be areas of State based responsibility in different areas, particularly when it comes to our justice systems. But what's important out of today is we are looking at picking up some of that best practice that we have in Victoria around driving system change, driving cultural change, and keeping that support where it needs to be for women and children, focus on the perpetrator. And when you consider, and the rapid review identified this, we still today have a situation where every four days a woman is being murdered by a partner, a former partner or a complete stranger. That is why this National Cabinet outcome today is important. It builds on those State based foundations, but it drives that nationwide change that we need to drive across the country.
JOURNALIST: For the States and Territories, you mentioned that you've been talking about the rapid review that was an outcome of your last meeting, talking about the impacts of alcohol and violence. There was quite an explicit recommendation that there be restrictions put on delivery of alcohol. Is that something that each of you are open to doing and will you do it?
PREMIER OF VICTORIA: Well, it goes. I might jump in here, because this is my point before, we are all already looking at those State based areas of responsibility in our justice systems, particularly our policing systems. But then those other areas that States regulate, alcohol is an example of that. And we are all looking at how we can identify those inputs that cause the harm. There are a range of inputs that cause harm, and that was what the rapid review clearly identified. What we need to do is understand how those inputs drive an outcome that is seeing more women being murdered, more women needing to reach out and provide the support, which is why the system change is, I would argue, the important outcome of today is identifying the initiatives that the Prime Minister has identified in his opening comments around the specialist services for women, the support for children, particularly children who have experienced family violence, and then looking at how we drive those system changes, identify the best practice and drive that change across the nation.
JOURNALIST: The recommendation is there that this needs to be done. Is it something that each of you will do?
PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES: Well, we've all agreed, as per this communique, to review our alcohol laws and come back to the National Cabinet. But everybody's at different stages. Some have responsible service of alcohol provisions in place and laws in place. Some have restrictions on opening hours and trading hours, days of the week. So, we're all at different places. But I think that review will see what works in other jurisdictions. And like a good federation, we'll steal what works and apply it to our own area.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, could you just clarify, when will that funding start to flow, the 3.9 billion as well as the split 700 million. When will it actually reach those organisations? And have any of those organisations or support services been identified for more funding?
PRIME MINISTER: July 1, so from the next financial year, two five year agreements. We'll be putting the new commitments into our Budget and through the MYEFO processes. States and Territories will work through which legal services will benefit. But across the board, obviously there will be some benefit and they will also be able to be provided with some certainty. There's been a great deal of concern. I say as a local MP, Marrickville Legal Centre, does some extraordinary work and they have been concerned and have made representations about the fact that there wasn't ongoing funding. We'll make sure that happens.
JOURNALIST: It is a long time away though. What do you say to organisations that don't have the funds right now to help women, that are having to turn families away?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the legal services, we're providing that certainty going forward, we're providing the funding as part of the five year agreement that will commence next financial year. And what those legal services will benefit from is the certainty of knowing what is coming as they go forward.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you've spoken of the need for broader cultural change when it comes to tackling unacceptable rates of violence against women and girls. What do you see as the Government's role in shifting these attitudes? And can you point to, you know, what's in the announcement today to try and change that?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, that is really, it's an important question because it's not just a matter of government, it is a matter of changing culture. One of the things that we've learned from, to give credit to Victoria, has been ahead of the country because they had the inquiry, the royal commission, and had learning from that experience. So, one of the things that we have as part of the announcement today, for example, is $80 million allocated for looking at the issue of how we enhance and expand child centric trauma informed supports, is the way that it's in the media release, for children and young people. We know, tragically, that on so many occasions when one of these tragedies occur, the perpetrator will be someone who has experienced it in their own family situation when they were younger. So, how do we intervene to change that? How do we intervene to change the culture so that it is unacceptable for this to occur? And that $80 million is a part of that. In addition to that, there is additional funding, including, there's $2.6 million, I think it is from memory, which is for looking at malbehaviour issues as well. One of the things that the rapid review identified was the need to change malbehaviour and to target that in as well. And that funding will enable for work to be done on what is best practice learning as well from the work that states and territories and civil based organisations have done already.
JOURNALIST: PM, one of the other outcomes of the last National Cabinet was the Office of National Intelligence provided some funding researching the spread of misogyny in schools and how to prevent that. How much of a concern is that? And is that something you discussed again today?
PRIME MINISTER: It is, and we discussed, both informally and formally, impact of social media. I think there'll be some things happening soon in that area as well, that we discussed, that states and territories have undertaken. We think that needs to be very much a focus and certainly in the work that both the Commonwealth is doing. The last, the last meeting, for example, we identified pornography and violent videos and the impact that it was having on normalising objectionable behaviour as a minimum, but horrific crime at an extreme. And that is something that we'll continue to work through. I know our security agencies are continuing to do that.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, did the Commonwealth make any commitments on reducing the impact of harmful industries? And for the First Ministers, could I please ask, did anyone raise the Rapid Review’s, call for a total ban on gambling advertising or want to speak to the merits of that policy now?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we discussed the impact that all of this has. We know that gambling, that the Government’s working through our position on that and we're consulting. We discussed the impact of alcohol. We know that there's a range of activities that have been identified in the Rapid Review, but have been identified before as well, and they are issues that we're working through. Some of those are Commonwealth, some of those are state. On the Commonwealth level, with regard to gambling, as you be aware, there have been a range of measures that my Government has undertaken in our first two years, more than have been done ever, including the registration of people being able to register and therefore be barred from participation. The changes that we've done in terms of advertising already, the messages that are at the bottom there, changing it from just ‘gambling responsibly’ to more coherent messages that make it clear that if you do gamble, you will lose. That's the point of the industry which is there. On alcohol, the states and territories have said that they will examine their laws and review them as appropriately to see what further action can be taken.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just to follow up, a couple of questions around male behaviour here. There's no doubt there's a wave of toxic masculinity sweeping the world. What would you say to young Australian men who are flirting with anti-women or anti-feminist behaviour online?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, well, we know that, you know – I don't want to give him a free ad – but there's, you know, one person in particular who is quite horrific. The figures that I was briefed on this week of how many Australians have seen a prominent European advocate for what is misogynistic behavior. It is something that we're very conscious of. It's something that government alone can't do. It's something that parents are concerned about. It's something that the media have a responsibility for, a role to play as well, in not giving prominence to some of those issues as well, that people can then go and have a look to see what this bloke's saying. That's not terribly helpful either, which is why I don't use his name. But it's not just an individual. Of course, we know that this is a scourge. It's one of the things that the e-Safety Commissioner is very conscious of.
JOURNALIST: Sorry to the NT Chief Minister earlier, you might not have realised I was referring to Lia herself to respond. Just in terms of that question about needs based funding, does this Agreement give the Northern Territory what it needs to deal with the level of need?
LIA FINOCCHIARO, CHIEF MINISTER OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY: I think this is a really – excuse me. I think this is a really important start and we're looking forward to continuing to work with our Federal counterparts on this issue. We've been very clear that the Territory is over represented in domestic violence statistics and I think all of my colleagues here today understand that. And so it's about doing our share of the heavy lifting as well, with our $180 million over five years that the NT’s put on the table, but also then working through this new Agreement to deliver safer outcomes for Territory women and children.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks. Last one.
JOURNALIST: Thanks, PM. Could I ask briefly about the debate on inflation this week? The former Treasurer, Wayne Swan said this morning that the Reserve Bank was putting dogma over rational economic decision making. Is it possible that the Bank's authority could be undermined by a growing debate like this?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, the Reserve Bank undertake its work. They do so independently of government. We respect the work that they do. They're in charge of monetary policy, we're in charge of fiscal policy. We've been busy making sure that we put that downward pressure on inflation whilst we design our cost of living relief for people under pressure in a way that contributes to that downward pressure on inflation. Which is why we've undertaken the action that we have because we know people are under pressure. So, tax cuts for every taxpayer, the household energy bills relief that's been provided by the Commonwealth with states and territories, that varies from state to state. But it's designed in a way to put that downward pressure on, just as Cheaper Child Care, Fee-Free TAFE, all of these measures do. But the other thing that the Commonwealth has done, of course, is to produce two Budget surpluses. That makes a difference. That is a helpful contribution to making sure that the fight against inflation is one that we're all engaged with. We also have, as the Reserve Bank Governor has said, we have the same objective of lowering inflation. The Government has a different responsibility. We've got a responsibility to our constituents and to the people around Australia in our sense – but in every state and territory represented by the leaders here – to make a difference, to understand that people who are under cost of living pressure need support. That's what we have been doing, but doing it in a way that's consistent with the fight against inflation. Thank you.