Experts attend Canberra crisis talks on missing and murdered women, say the round table was a good step, but now action must be urgently prioritised. They have told the ABC they’ve reached saturation point on consultation, and there are things governments can do right now on front line funding and housing to help stop the problem.
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00:00 What actions need to be urgently prioritised to prevent women's deaths?
00:06 That was one question on the agenda at yesterday's crisis talks that were convened by the Domestic,
00:10 Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, Michaela Cronin.
00:14 She was joined by those who've lost a loved one to violence, frontline workers, advocates
00:18 and peak bodies working at every level on this crisis.
00:22 They've got the answers to help stop these killings, but they say they need governments
00:25 to walk the walk and not just talk the talk if they're serious about ending it.
00:30 Executive Director of the National Women's Safety Alliance, Catherine Birney, says it's
00:34 time to act.
00:35 We have reached a saturation point of consultation and I think it's incredibly important that
00:41 we start to put into action what people are saying.
00:44 It's the right time.
00:46 There is never going to be a perfect time to change policy, invest more.
00:50 We've just got to do it.
00:51 We've got to make a decision that women's lives in Australia mean enough for us to have
00:57 that meaningful investment and collaboration.
01:00 On investment, Antoinette Braybrooke, the CEO of Djeera, which supports Aboriginal women,
01:04 says there has to be an end to funding uncertainty.
01:07 She says organisations are facing funding cliffs and have difficulty retaining staff
01:12 as they try and help Indigenous women who are eight times more likely to be victims
01:15 of homicide.
01:17 Braybrooke's told the ABC next week's federal budget provides an opportunity for the government
01:21 to follow through on their commitment to end violence against women.
01:24 Their question is, will they take it?
01:26 [BLANK_AUDIO]