Dr Ang Jury: Women's Refuge Chief Executive on changing the attitudes that cause family violence

A new Government action plan for preventing family and sexual violence pushes for deeper collaboration across government agencies. 

It's the second action plan as part of a 25-year national strategy. 

Focus areas include improvements to protect children and young people, strengthening the workforce, taking action on sexual violence, and expanding prevention. 

Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour says the first plan was the beginning of the conversation, and tried to cover a wide area. 

Reaction to the plan has been positive, Women's Refuge chief executive Dr Ang Jury says it's good to see a commitment to addressing harm - but we also need to focus on changing attitudes. 

"That's where the prevention focus needs to be, so that we can actually look at bringing up a generation of kids who don't see any benefit in behaving in this way".

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So one point three billion dollars in family and sexual
violence prevention spending is set to go under review by
this government. It's the second five year plan and it
follows on from the Labor government's first one, which is
launched back in twenty twenty one. Now the government announced
the review and new plan yesterday which we'll see a
new cross agency plan tasked with doing fewer things, but

(00:21):
doing those things well. And the move has been welcomed
by those working in violence preventions. So let's find out
if that's true. I am joined now by doctor An's
Jury from the Women's Refuge and is the chief Executive.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Good morning to you, Good morning Andrew.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Are you welcoming the.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Plan many parts of it? Yes?

Speaker 1 (00:40):
Well what parts are you not welcoming? That was not
a wholehearted one hundred percent? This is awesome.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Look, no plan is ever going to make all the
people happy all the time. You know, we need to
recognize that the things in there that are like, certainly
the focus on training of frontline civil servants. I think
that's long overdue. We need to be all talking from
the same songsheet.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
When the government says we're doing we're going to do
fewer things but do them. Well, that means that some
agencies or groups like yours will be sitting there on tenterhooks,
aren't wondering whether you're the one that will get the
tick of approval?

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, well that remains to be seen. Andrew, I have
no immediate fears, and I mean we'll face any sort
of review as everyone else would have to.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
Do you do you understand Do you understand the new
government's approach and the differences from the past regime. Their
approach is called social investment. Do you understand the difference
between their approach and the past regimes approach?

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yes? No, maybe? Is the answer that I don't think
anybody is really clear in the sector. I don't think
anybody is really clear about what this particular version of
social investment is.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
There. There are seven focus areas with phrases like protecting
children and young people, investing in commissioning will, keeping people safe,
and stopping violence. Do these goals seem vague?

Speaker 2 (02:23):
They could be tighter. There are measures in the action
plan that do measure progress against those goals. So you know,
I mean, we haven't had really solid measures before. That's
got to be a move forward.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
Good please can be a little bit more confidence as
we head into Christmas.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Look, there's one of the things that's really good in
this plan is a focus on those using violence in
services that are available to them. That is long overdue.
So you know, if we're going to beat this thing,
let's try and turn the tap off and stop the
people that are actually committing violence.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Well, see it, and Merry Christmas. Thank you for all
your service over the course of the year. Okay, bye
bye bye. Now it is a seven to six, tough
job for her, tough job for us, tough job for
the government. For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge,
listen live to News Talks it'd be from five am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.