Alcohol increasing the severity of domestic and sexual violence and a failure to protect vulnerable children in the youth justice system have been identified as urgent areas needing reform.
Women’s safety and the scourge of domestic and sexual violence will be at the forefront of a discussion between federal, state and territory leaders on Friday.
But excluding a specific discussion on children’s safety within the national cabinet meeting means there is no accountability for failing policy, National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds says.
Tough-on-crime rhetoric from political leaders and threats to lock up children were counterintuitive as it only increased the chances of reoffending, the commissioner said.
“We’re putting politics ahead of prevention,” she told AAP.
“It sounds good because it sounds tough on crime but it’s not based on evidence and that will not keep the community safer.”
This is because locked-up kids have high recidivism rates and learn more about criminal behaviour while behind bars, she said.
Increasing prison time to act as a deterrence against crime wasn’t effective as children aged 11 or 12 weren’t making a calculation before committing an offence, she said.
“Children are not making their decision about whether to steal food or a car based on how long the sentence will be – it’s a preposterous notion.”
Governments needed to recognise children committing crime meant their basic needs weren’t being met, whether this be housing, family care or mental health, the commissioner said.
Legal aid services across Australia are calling for national cabinet to commit $317 million a year to meet demand for family law and domestic violence services, with vulnerable women being turned away.
Of her six to 10 clients a day, most women presented with “a real risk of them, or their children, being harmed,” Legal Aid NSW senior solicitor Melanie Alexander said.
Womens Minister Katy Gallagher flagged “a substantial package” with a focus on frontline services.
The Commonwealth was prepared to “put some dollars on the table” to work with states and territories to end gender-based violence, she said.
Restrictions on alcohol sales, delivery times and advertising as well as stronger regulation have been called for to address the role alcohol played in domestic and sexual violence.
“Many women have … told us that as the sun goes down, more alcohol flows into their home, and they anticipate the increasing severity of violence,” community organisations said in a letter to the prime minister.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
13YARN 13 92 76
