Canberra Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee has today announced a comprehensive package of measures to support women in the ACT when it comes to the prevention of domestic and family violence, women’s health, funding for outreach programs and workforce participation.

Ms Lee said a Canberra Liberals government will:

• Establish specialised domestic and family violence fast response units

• legislate a standalone criminal offence for coercive control and implement a coercive control education program developed in consultation with frontline service providers and victim survivors

• establish a dedicated endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic at the Canberra Hospital

• boost funding to support women return to work including work placement, training and support

• commit to allocating all revenue received from the Safer Families Levy towards frontline domestic and family violence services

• provide a $875,000 funding commitment for Fearless Women.

“The Canberra Liberals have today announced a number of initiatives that include reforming frontline responses to incidents of domestic and family violence (DVF) by funding two DFV fast response units,” Ms Lee said.

“The two DFV units will include three police officers, three medical personnel and three domestic and family violence response trained social workers and operate similar to the current PACER program.

“Domestic and family violence is a scourge in our society and a Canberra Liberals Government will deliver more support where it is needed most - on our frontline - to ensure that we do everything we can to support those that need it most.

“A Canberra Liberals Government will take a whole of government approach to support women back to work including work placement, training and support.

“It is also shameful that revenue received from the Safer Families Levy does not go directly towards frontline domestic violence and family violence but under a Canberra Liberals Government it will,” Ms Lee concluded.

Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Health and the Prevention of Domestic Violence Leanne Castley said the Labor-Greens government has dropped the ball when it comes to providing necessary support for women in the ACT especially those suffering from endometriosis.

“In the ACT there are thousands of women who live with endometriosis, adenomyosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome and/or infertility, However, Canberra’s facilities for treating endometriosis and pelvic pain are fragmented and inadequate,” Ms Castley said.

“The Canberra Liberals know how challenging it is for women in the ACT with endometriosis who have to travel interstate for treatment and as a result we will establish a truly multidisciplinary endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic at the Canberra Hospital.

“I was proud to introduce legislation into the Legislative Assembly this term to make coercive control a standalone criminal offence and it was disappointing that every member of Labor and the Greens voted against the bill.

“As a government we will make the necessary legislative changes to bring the ACT in line with other jurisdictions who have made coercive control a standalone criminal offence,” Ms Castley concluded.