Good morning everyone, it’s Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians.
I’m sorry I can’t be with you in person.
I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands you’re gathered on, and elders past and present.
And I’d like to recognise the Aboriginal Family Legal Services for a decade of the Ochre Ribbon Campaign.
A decade of raising awareness of family and domestic violence in First Nations communities.
10 years ago, the Ochre Ribbon Campaign was borne from a tragic event.
In Meekatharra, Western Australia, a proud First Nations woman lost her life to domestic violence.
Sadly, she is one of many.
First Nations women continue to experience disproportionately high levels of violence.
Sadly, we know the numbers all too well.
Nationally, First Nations women are seven times more likely to be homicide victims.
First Nations women are 33 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family and domestic violence than non-Indigenous women.
These women are not just numbers or statistics.
They are daughters, sisters, mothers, aunties, grandmothers, matriarchs of our communities.
This senseless epidemic of family violence must end.
Our Government is leading a range of important initiatives.
We’re investing $4.4 billion in practical measures to end gender-based violence – including a much-needed boost in funding for legal services to support First Nations women.
The new $3.9 billion National Access to Justice Partnership – the biggest single Commonwealth investment in legal assistance ever – will provide a boost of $800 million to increase current funding levels, as well as a commitment to ongoing funding.
The new Partnership will see funding more than double for the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services sector – for services, like yours, that provide life-saving assistance to First Nations women.
A further $80 million will go to supporting children affected by family and domestic violence, including for Aboriginal Community Controlled Services to deliver services for First Nations children.
We are working across governments, through the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children and the National Agreement on Closing the Gap – which has a key focus on strong and safe First Nations families.
Through the Closing the Gap Agreement, all governments have committed to reducing the rate of family violence and abuse against First Nations women and children by at least by 50 per cent by 2031.
To help achieve this, the Government is developing a standalone Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander National Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence.
In January, we established the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People to protect and advance the wellbeing of First Nations children across a range of issues.
All of this is important work.
But making our communities safer requires a concerted effort, involving all governments and communities.
I commend the Aboriginal Family Legal Services and all the organisations who are leading the charge to end family violence, and build stronger, safer futures for all First Nations families.
Thank you.