Updates

The final election results are still being counted, but it’s already clear: the next federal Government is committed to stronger action for women’s safety.

Thank you to everyone who has spoken out and advocated on these issues in recent weeks, months and years – together we’ve had a powerful impact on what is possible in the next parliament. Going into the election Fair Agenda worked hard to get candidates on the record about their commitments to women’s safety. Here’s what we know about the members of the new parliament so far...

The next Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese and his Labor Government, are committed to strong action for women’s safety. In the lead up to the election, the ALP provided a party-wide pledge that they will:

• Improve the prevention of gender-based violence by pushing for a national gender equity strategy; and expanding expert-led consent and respectful relationships education in schools.
• Back increased funding of specialist sexual, domestic and family violence services
• Vote for better legal and institutional responses for victim-survivors – to ensure people seeking support are helped, not hurt, by systems that should support them. This includes action to hold universities, aged care facilities and group homes accountable for providing safe environments; and supporting 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave for all workers.
• Vote to fully implement all 55 of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work recommendations to address workplace sexual harassment.
• Champion reforms for a safer parliament – including full implementation of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s ‘Set the Standard’ report. That includes a commitment to vote for a strong Code of Conduct; and to support the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission to be able to recommend a full range of sanctions if that Code of Conduct is breached (including suspension and withholding of salary for MPs). The ALP have also committed to support actions to advance gender equity, diversity and inclusion across the parliamentary workplace.

There are also strong commitments for action amongst the new parliamentarians: Greens MPs Elizabeth Watson-Brown and Max Chandler-Mather, and new independents Dr Monique Ryan, Zoe Daniel, Allegra Spender and Kylea Tink – have all taken Fair Agenda’s Pledge for a Safer Future.

That means they are committed to support all of the above policies; as well as providing the $1 billion of annual federal investment that experts say is necessary to properly resource the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children.

New MP for Mackellar Dr Sophie Scamps, has also committed to stronger action in many areas, and left the door open for further commitments.

Amongst the seats still too close to call in the Lower House: - Independent Caz Heise, contesting Cowper, has taken the full Pledge for a Safer Future, and committed to champion women’s safety if elected. - In Gilmore, Andrew Constance, the Liberal candidate, was the sole member of the Coalition to make commitments in response to the Pledge for a Safer Future – and he committed to support all but one of the 19 actions asked for. The ALP MP in that seat - Fiona Phillips - has also made strong commitments to most of the actions in the Pledge.

Any reforms put forward in the House will have to also be passed by the Senate. These races are still too early to call, but key to note that independent David Pocock, who may pick up a key balance of power seat in the ACT Senate, has taken the full Pledge for a Safer Future, and committed to support the actions needed to end gender-based violence and improve women’s safety.

While women’s safety was sidelined in this election debate – women’s votes are being highlighted as a key factor in this new parliament outcome.

These commitments are a fantastic starting point for the transformative change that women need; and deserve – and to end men’s use of gender-based violence. But the work for the safer future we need is still far from done.

We look forward to working with the new parliament to ensure we make progress and rapidly improve the prevention, response and recovery efforts needed to transform our community – and to ensure we can all live with respect, dignity and safety that we deserve.

If you're not already part of the Fair Agenda movement, please join our campaigns for a safer and more equitable future at: http://fairagenda.org/join

Fair Agenda has today released a report outlining how the candidates for the 2022 Federal Election are responding to the call for actions needed to end gender-based violence.

The report reveals that in several key races this election; there is a stark difference in candidates’ commitments to act for women’s safety.

The report reveals that many of the high-profile independents have taken the Pledge for a Safer Future and committed to significant action to end gender based violence; as well as a party-wide commitment from the Australian Greens. The Australian Labor Party also provided a full party-wide commitment to all but a few of the actions called for. 

This stands in stark contrast to the Coalition who only had one candidate make commitments:  Andrew Constance contesting in the seat of Gilmore, who fully committed to 5 of the 6 areas of the Pledge. The Coalition did not provide a commitment to any of the specific actions put forward for future action; instead providing  a written statement focused on commitments  made during the last parliament. At the start of the election, a collection of experts reviewed the major parties’ track record in the last parliament and scored the Coalition’s previous actions against what’s needed for women’s safety as: poor.

Over 400 candidates responded to the Pledge for a Safer Future, with over 230 candidates taking the Pledge in full.

The full list of candidates who responded to the Pledge for a Safer Future with commitments to act for women's safety is here.

Today Fair Agenda launched the final list of candidate responses to the Pledge for a Safer Future.

Over 400 candidates responded to the Pledge for a Safer Future with any commitments to act.

Over 230 candidates took the Pledge in full.

Amongst those who committed to action every part of the pledge were high-profile independent candidates: Monique Ryan, Zoe Daniels, Allegra Spender, Kylea Tink, Kim Rubenstein, Alex Dyson, Jo Dyer, Georgia Steele, Caz Heise, Hanabeth Luke and David Pocock.

The Australian Greens provided a party-wide response with a full commitment to all areas of the pledge.

The Australia Labor Party also provided a full party-wide pledge - with commitments to all but a few of the specific actions called for.

You can see the full list of candidates who made commitments to women's safety here. (The list is sorted by scale of commitment, and electorate)

150 candidates have now fully taken Fair Agenda’s Pledge for a Safer Future, and made explicit commitments to the transformative change needed to end gender-based violence.

The full list of candidates who have taken the full Pledge for a Safer Future are:

• Allegra Spender         Wentworth    Independent
• Alex Dyson Wanon Independent
• Andrew Wilkie           Clark              Independent
• Adam Bandt              Melbourne     Australian Greens
• Carolyn (Caz) Heise    Cowper          Independent
• Despi O'Connor          Flinders          Independent
• Senator Dorinda Cox WA Australian Greens
• Jane Caro NSW Reason
• Georgia Steele           Hughes           Independent
• Kim Rubenstein          ACT                Independent
• Kylea Tink                  North Sydney Independent
• Lidia Thorpe              VIC                 Australian Greens
• Monique Ryan           Kooyong         Independent
• Nicolette Boele  Bradfield        Independent
• Peter Whish-Wilson   TAS                Australian Greens
• Surbhi Snowball Flinders Australian Labor Party
• Zoe Daniel                 Goldstein       Independent

                                   

• Alana Galli-McRostie Goldstein       Australian Greens

• Alex Breskin              Isaacs            Australian Greens

• Andrew Johnson        Higgins           Reason

• Angela Lowery           Blair               Animal Justice Party

• Apurva Shukla           Werriwa         Australian Greens

• Asher Cookson           Aston             Australian Greens

• Astrid O'Neill             McMahon      Australian Greens

• Avery Howard           Fowler           Australian Greens

• Barry Steele              Mackellar       TNL

• Bill Pheasant             Menzies         Australian Greens

• Brendan Clarke          Berowra         Fusion Party

• Carmel McCallum       Gilmore          Australian Greens

• Carol Sparks              New England  Australian Greens

• Catherine Robertson Fraser            Victorian Socialists

• Cecily Rosol              Bass               Australian Greens

• Celeste Liddle           Cooper           Australian Greens

• Charlotte McCabe      Newcastle      Australian Greens

• Chetan Sahai             Sydney           Australian Greens

• Chris Schmidt            Sturt              TNL

• Claire Garton            Moreton         Australian Greens

• Colleen Bolger           Melbourne     Victorian Socialists

• Danielle Mutton        Blair               Australian Greens

• Darren Briggs            Braddon         Australian Greens

• David Deex                Spence           Australian Greens

• Dominic WY Kanak    Wentworth    Australian Greens

• Eli Davern                  Farrer Australian Greens

• Elijah Suares              Bendigo          UAP

• Elizabeth Watson-Brown       Ryan   Australian Greens

• Ethan Hrnjak             Mackellar       Australian Greens

• George Melissourgos Hindmarsh     UAP

• Gilbert Wilson           Wannon         ALP

• Greg Elliot                 Mayo  Australian Greens

• Hilary McAllister        Wannon         Australian Greens

• Jack Boddeke            Lalor              Australian Greens

• Jade Darko                Franklin          Australian Greens

• James Haggerty         Grayndler       Fusion Party

• Janet Murray            Hunter           Australian Greens

• Janet Shelley             Clark              Australian Greens

• Janine Rees              Ryan              Australian Progressives

• Jeanene Williams       Hasluck          Independent

• Jennifer Cox              Kennedy         Australian Greens

• Jenny Game              Casey             Australian Greens

• Jeremy Carter            Boothby         Australian Greens

• Jerome Small             Calwell           Victorian Socialists

• John Photakis            Kingston         Australian Greens

• Kathryn Savery           Bean              Australian Greens

• Katie McCusker          Sturt              Australian Greens

• Kelly Guenoun           Petrie            UAP

• Kim Grierson             Shortland       Australian Greens

• Kristyn Glanville         Warringah      Australian Greens

• Liam O'Brien             Dunkley          Australian Greens

• Liz Chase                   Jagajaga         Australian Greens

• Louise Ihlein              Paterson         Australian Greens

• Mandy Nolan            Richmond       Australian Greens

• Mat Morgan              Monash          Australian Greens

• Max Martucci            Hawke TNL

• Max Chandler-Mather           Griffith           Australian Greens

• Meg Watkins             Corangamite  Animal Justice Party

• Melissa Stevens         Lilley              Australian Greens

• Michael Schilling        La Trobe         Australian Greens

• Monica Shepherd      Richmond       IMO

• Nadia David              Indi                ALP

• Natasa Sojic              Fenner           Australian Greens

• Neil Cotter                Rankin           Australian Greens

• Nicole Thompson       Wright           Australian Greens

• Patchouli Paterson    Scullin            Australian Greens

• Patrick Deegan           Page              ALP

• Phil Johnson              Bowman         TNL

• Phillip Musumeci       Leichhardt      Australian Greens

• Piers Mitchem           Kooyong         Australian Greens

• Rebecca Galdies         Adelaide         Australian Greens

• Renay Wells             Fisher            Australian

• GreensRhonda Pryor            Maribyrnong  Australian Greens

• Rob Humphreys         Deakin           Australian Greens

• Ross Taylor                Longman        Pauline Hanson's One Nation

• Ryan Bruce                Aston             TNL

• Sahar Khalili              Reid               Fusion Party

• Sarah Russell             Flinders          Independent

• Sarah Jefford             Wills             Australian Greens

• Sarah Newman          Chisholm        Australian Greens

• Scott Hardiman          Kooyong         UAP

• Serge Killingbeck        Page              TNL

• Sonya Semmens        Higgins           Australian Greens

• Steph Hodgins-May   Macnamara    Australian Greens

• Stephen Bates           Brisbane         Australian Greens

• Sue Etheridge            Fairfax           Australian Greens

• Suzette Rodoreda      Gellibrand      Australian Greens

• Taylor van Dijke         Barton           Australian Greens

• Tiana Kennedy           Brisbane         Animal Justice Party

• Tim Hollo                  Canberra        Australian Greens

• Toni McLennan          Eden-Monaro IMOP

• Victor Kline               North Sydney TNL

• Vinnie Batten           Dickson          Australian Greens

• Toni McCormack        Herbert          Animal Justice Party

• Andrea Leong            NSW              Fusion Party

• Barbara Pocock          SA                  Australian Greens

• Bess Brennan            QLD               TNL

• Brandon Selic            QLD               Fusion Party

• David Shoebridge      NSW              Australian Greens

• David Kennedy           SA                  Fusion Party

• Drew Wolfendale       SA                  Fusion Party

• Felix Dance                VIC                 Socialist Alliance

• Ivan Davis                  TAS                Animal Justice Party

• James Cruz               ACT                Australian Greens

• Lynne Kershaw         TAS                IMOP

• Michael Simms          ACT                IMOP

• Tabatha Badger         TAS                Australian Greens

• Tim Viljoen                WA                Fusion Party

• Anna Sri QLD Australian Greens

• Bree Roberts Shortland Animal Justice Party

• Cameron Pidgeon Curtin Australian Greens

• Cath Connor Dobell Australian Greens

• Colin Lane Flinders Australian Greens

• Darren Brollo NSW Animal Justice Party

• Dylan Green Cunningham Australian Greens

• Earl Snijders Longman Australian Greens

• Geoff Barnes Dobell Fusion Party

• Giz Watson O’Connor The Greens

• Isabella Tripp Cowan Australia Greens

• Jodie Moffatt Canning Australian Greens

• John Herron McEwen Liberal Democrats

• Jordan Cahill WA Senate Australian Greens

• Kamala Emanuel QLD Socialist Alliance

• Kammy Cordner Hunt VIC Fusion Party

• Leonie Green VIC Australian Democrats

• Mark Cooper Moore Australian Greens

• Martin Cousins Bradfield Australian Greens

• Pat O'Shane Leichhardt Socialist Alliance

• Patrick Murphy Robertson Animal Justice Party

• Paula Gilbard Longman Animal Justice Party

• Penny Allman-Payne QLD Australian Greens

• Rachel Jacobs Grayndler Australian Greens

• River Clarke WA Australian Greens

• Sam Wainwright Fremantle Socialist Alliance

• Sarina Joan Kilham Grayndler Independent 

• Victoria Davies Hunter Animal Justice party

• Yana del Valle Canberra Animal Justice Party

• Yolanda Vega VIC Reason Party

Candidates have been asked to pledge to:

1. Do what it takes to end all forms of gender-based violence within a generation
2. Champion strong action to prevent all forms of gender-based violence by addressing its drivers and enablers, including gender inequality. 
3. Push for proper funding of specialist sexual, domestic and family violence services - to ensure everyone affected can access the support they need, and that perpetrators’ abusive behaviours are reduced. 
4. Vote for better legal and institutional responses for victim-survivors to ensure people seeking support are helped, not hurt, by systems that should support them.
5. Vote for safer workplaces by supporting full implementation of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work recommendations to address workplace sexual harassment. 
6. Champion reforms for a safer parliament - including full implementation of the recommendations in the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s ‘Set the Standard’ report. 

Candidates are only displayed as having taken a relevant part of the pledge if they are committed to the specific actions necessary to realise that objective, as well as the overall pledge statement. 

Fair Agenda received a response to the Pledge for a Safer Future from the Liberal Party’s Federal Director, at Coalition’s HQ, on behalf of all Liberal and National candidates.

Each part of the Pledge has three short questions about specific actions necessary to realise that objective. Candidates are only displayed as having taken the Pledge for a Safer Future if they commit to all of the related actions as well as the overall pledge statement. You can see the components to each pledge question here.

The Coalition did not respond to the specific actions addressed in the pledge survey, and instead provided a PDF response outlining the Coalition’s existing announcements and commitments.

We note that as these commitments are all existing, they have been reviewed by experts as part of Fair Agenda’s analysis of how major parties’ track record in the last parliament compares to what was needed. The Coalition’s track record in the last parliament was scored as Poor overall. You can read the full analysis provided by experts here.

You can read the Coalition’s written response to Fair Agenda’s Pledge for a Safer Future survey in full here.

120 candidates have now fully taken Fair Agenda’s Pledge for a Safer Future, and made explicit commitments to the transformative change needed to end gender-based violence.

Commitments have been made from people across the spectrum of politics, including high profile candidates: Allegra Spender, Dr Monique Ryan, Zoe Daniel, Despi O’Connor, Georgia Steele, Patrick Deegan and sitting MPs Adam Bandt and Lidia Thorpe.

They join Nicollete Boele, Kylea Tink, Kim Rubenstein and sitting parliamentarians Andrew Wilkie and Peter Whish-Wilson who had responded to the pledge prior to launch.

The full list of candidates who have taken the full Pledge for a Safer Future are:

• Allegra Spender         Wentworth    Independent
• Andrew Wilkie            Clark              Independent
• Adam Bandt              Melbourne     Australian Greens
• Carolyn (Caz) Heise    Cowper          Independent
• Despi O'Connor          Flinders          Independent
• Georgia Steele            Hughes           Independent
• Kim Rubenstein          ACT                Independent
• Kylea Tink                  North Sydney Independent
• Lidia Thorpe              VIC                 Australian Greens
• Monique Ryan            Kooyong         Independent
• Nicolette Boele  Bradfield        Independent
• Peter Whish-Wilson   TAS                Australian Greens
• Zoe Daniel                 Goldstein       Independent

                                   

• Alana Galli-McRostie Goldstein       Australian Greens
• Alex Breskin              Isaacs            Australian Greens
• Andrew Johnson        Higgins            Reason
• Angela Lowery            Blair               Animal Justice Party
• Apurva Shukla            Werriwa         Australian Greens
• Asher Cookson           Aston             Australian Greens
• Astrid O'Neill             McMahon      Australian Greens
• Avery Howard            Fowler            Australian Greens
• Barry Steele              Mackellar       TNL
• Bill Pheasant             Menzies         Australian Greens
• Brendan Clarke          Berowra         Fusion Party
• Carmel McCallum       Gilmore          Australian Greens
• Carol Sparks              New England  Australian Greens
• Catherine Robertson Fraser            Victorian Socialists
• Cecily Rosol              Bass               Australian Greens
• Celeste Liddle            Cooper            Australian Greens
• Charlotte McCabe      Newcastle      Australian Greens
• Chetan Sahai             Sydney            Australian Greens
• Chris Schmidt            Sturt              TNL
• Claire Garton            Moreton         Australian Greens
• Colleen Bolger            Melbourne     Victorian Socialists
• Danielle Mutton        Blair               Australian Greens
• Darren Briggs            Braddon         Australian Greens
• David Deex                Spence            Australian Greens
• Dominic WY Kanak    Wentworth    Australian Greens
• Eli Davern                  Farrer Australian Greens
• Elijah Suares              Bendigo          UAP
• Elizabeth Watson-Brown       Ryan   Australian Greens
• Ethan Hrnjak             Mackellar       Australian Greens
• George Melissourgos Hindmarsh     UAP
• Gilbert Wilson            Wannon         ALP
• Greg Elliot                 Mayo  Australian Greens
• Hilary McAllister        Wannon         Australian Greens
• Jack Boddeke            Lalor              Australian Greens
• Jade Darko                Franklin          Australian Greens
• James Haggerty         Grayndler       Fusion Party
• Janet Murray            Hunter            Australian Greens
• Janet Shelley             Clark              Australian Greens
• Janine Rees              Ryan              Australian Progressives
• Jeanene Williams       Hasluck          Independent
• Jennifer Cox              Kennedy         Australian Greens
• Jenny Game              Casey             Australian Greens
• Jeremy Carter            Boothby         Australian Greens
• Jerome Small             Calwell            Victorian Socialists
• John Photakis            Kingston         Australian Greens
• Kathryn Savery           Bean              Australian Greens
• Katie McCusker          Sturt              Australian Greens
• Kelly Guenoun            Petrie            UAP
• Kim Grierson             Shortland       Australian Greens
• Kristyn Glanville         Warringah      Australian Greens
• Liam O'Brien             Dunkley          Australian Greens
• Liz Chase                   Jagajaga         Australian Greens
• Louise Ihlein              Paterson         Australian Greens
• Mandy Nolan            Richmond       Australian Greens
• Mat Morgan              Monash          Australian Greens
• Max Martucci            Hawke TNL
• Max Chandler-Mather           Griffith            Australian Greens
• Meg Watkins             Corangamite  Animal Justice Party
• Melissa Stevens         Lilley              Australian Greens
• Michael Schilling        La Trobe         Australian Greens
• Monica Shepherd      Richmond       IMO
• Nadia David              Indi                ALP
• Natasa Sojic              Fenner            Australian Greens
• Neil Cotter                Rankin            Australian Greens
• Nicole Thompson       Wright            Australian Greens
• Patchouli Paterson    Scullin            Australian Greens
• Patrick Deegan           Page              ALP
• Phil Johnson              Bowman         TNL
• Phillip Musumeci       Leichhardt      Australian Greens
• Piers Mitchem            Kooyong         Australian Greens
• Rebecca Galdies         Adelaide         Australian Greens
• Renay Wells             Fisher            Australian
• GreensRhonda Pryor            Maribyrnong  Australian Greens
• Rob Humphreys         Deakin            Australian Greens
• Ross Taylor                Longman        Pauline Hanson's One Nation
• Ryan Bruce                Aston             TNL
• Sahar Khalili              Reid               Fusion Party
• Sarah Russell             Flinders          Independent
• Sarah Jefford             Wills             Australian Greens
• Sarah Newman          Chisholm        Australian Greens
• Scott Hardiman          Kooyong         UAP
• Serge Killingbeck        Page              TNL
• Sonya Semmens        Higgins            Australian Greens
• Steph Hodgins-May   Macnamara    Australian Greens
• Stephen Bates            Brisbane         Australian Greens
• Sue Etheridge            Fairfax            Australian Greens
• Suzette Rodoreda      Gellibrand      Australian Greens
• Taylor van Dijke         Barton            Australian Greens
• Tiana Kennedy            Brisbane         Animal Justice Party
• Tim Hollo                  Canberra        Australian Greens
• Toni McLennan          Eden-Monaro IMOP
• Victor Kline               North Sydney TNL
• Vinnie Batten            Dickson          Australian Greens
• Toni McCormack        Herbert          Animal Justice Party
• Andrea Leong            NSW              Fusion Party
• Barbara Pocock          SA                  Australian Greens
• Bess Brennan            QLD               TNL
• Brandon Selic            QLD               Fusion Party
• David Shoebridge      NSW              Australian Greens
• David Kennedy           SA                  Fusion Party
• Drew Wolfendale       SA                  Fusion Party
• Felix Dance                VIC                 Socialist Alliance
• Ivan Davis                  TAS                Animal Justice Party
• James Cruz               ACT                Australian Greens
• Lynne Kershaw         TAS                IMOP
• Michael Simms          ACT                IMOP
• Tabatha Badger         TAS                Australian Greens
• Tim Viljoen                WA                Fusion Party

Candidates have been asked to pledge to:

1. Do what it takes to end all forms of gender-based violence within a generation
2. Champion strong action to prevent all forms of gender-based violence by addressing its drivers and enablers, including gender inequality. 
3. Push for proper funding of specialist sexual, domestic and family violence services - to ensure everyone affected can access the support they need, and that perpetrators’ abusive behaviours are reduced. 
4. Vote for better legal and institutional responses for victim-survivors to ensure people seeking support are helped, not hurt, by systems that should support them.
5. Vote for safer workplaces by supporting full implementation of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work recommendations to address workplace sexual harassment. 
6. Champion reforms for a safer parliament - including full implementation of the recommendations in the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s ‘Set the Standard’ report. 

Candidates are only displayed as having taken a relevant part of the pledge if they are committed to the specific actions necessary to realise that objective, as well as the overall pledge statement. 

Fair Agenda received a response to the Pledge for a Safer Future from the ALP’s National Secretary, on behalf of all ALP candidates.   Each part of the Pledge has three short questions about specific actions necessary to realise that objective. Candidates are only displayed as having taken the pledge if they commit to all of the related actions as well as the overall pledge statement.   The ALP has fully committed to three parts of the Pledge for a Safer Future. They have pledged to:

• Vote for better legal and institutional responses for victim-survivors to ensure people seeking support are helped, not hurt, by systems that should support them.
• Vote for safer workplaces by supporting full implementation of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work recommendations to address workplace sexual harassment. 
• **Champion reforms for a safer parliament **- including full implementation of the recommendations in the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s ‘Set the Standard’ report.

  The ALP has committed to some but not all of the specific actions relevant to the three other parts of the Pledge for a Safer Future:

• Do what it takes to end all forms of gender-based violence within a generation
• Champion strong action to prevent all forms of gender-based violence by addressing its drivers and enablers, including gender inequality. 
• **Push for proper funding of specialist sexual, domestic and family violence services **- to ensure everyone affected can access the support they need, and that perpetrators’ abusive behaviours are reduced.

** ** The three questions to which the ALP did not provide a full commitment, were:

1. I will support a minimum of $1 billion per year in federal investment to implement the National Plan To End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32.

Background: Peak bodies from the sexual, family and domestic violence sector estimate that a minimum of $1 billion of annual funding will be needed from the federal government to properly implement the forthcoming National Plan to End Violence Against Women and their Children, and that this investment will need to be guaranteed over the 12 years of the plan. Key advocates, including Australia’s then national alliance for women’s safety - Australian Women Against Violence Alliance - have been clear this is the level of funding required to properly resource any National Plan since before the 2020 budget.   ALP response: The ALP provided a partial commitment – that they will work closely with the sector and with state and territory governments to ensure there is adequate funding to implement the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and their Children 2022-32.

2. I will support full implementation of the recommendations in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner’s _Wiyi Yani U Thangani _Report; and the recommendations that come from the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People With Disability.

Background: To effectively prevent gender-based violence we must address gender inequality - as a key driver and enabler - for all women. Action on the Wiyi Yani U Thangani report and the recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (when it is handed down later this year) will be critical to promoting gender equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls; and women with disability. _ _ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and women with disability are both disproportionately impacted by gender-based violence. Aboriginal and Torres _Strait Islander women are nearly 11 times more likely to die due to assault than non-Indigenous women; and hospitalisation rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women due to family-violence related assault are 32 times higher. The most recent ABS data shows that women living with disability are more likely to have experienced physical violence, partner violence and emotional abuse, sexual harassment and stalking than women without disability. _ _ _ ALP response: The ALP provided a partial commitment to this question. Noting: Labor will listen to and work with First Nations women and girls through a National Summit and beyond to deliver on the principles of the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Report. Labor is committed to ending violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people living with disability – we will worth through the recommendations of the Royal Commission in government when the final report is received.

Q3. I will support the creation of a new temporary visa to allow women on temporary visas experiencing domestic and family violence to access the government services and support they need to be safe whilst making alternate visa arrangements.

Background: For many migrant and refugee women facing domestic abuse and violence, the limitations of their visa status can leave them trapped with their abuser. As _well as wielding violence, control and isolation - perpetrators often also threaten victim-survivors on temporary visas with deportation, and separation from their children, if they try to build independent, safer lives. _   Current government systems mean perpetrators have even more leverage to keep women trapped, and options to seek support and safety are not available. Many migrant and refugee women face homelessness and poverty if they wish to escape due to an inability to access crisis accommodation, basic healthcare, or income support.   Every woman should be able to access healthcare, housing and social security support needed to escape a violent partner and achieve safety, regardless of her visa status. Expert advocates are calling for the creation of a new special category of temporary visa to enable victim-survivors to access these vital services while escaping violence, so they can build safer futures.   ALP response: The ALP provided a partial commitment to this question. Noting: Labor’s platform states that Labor in Government will ensure that women and children on temporary visas who are experiencing family violence can access appropriate protection.   We note that candidates are able to provide individual commitments, and that several individual candidates have taken the full Pledge for a Safer Future. You can see your local candidate’s response by selecting your electorate here.   You can see the PDF of the ALP’s party level response to the Pledge for a Safer future here.

Fair Agenda has asked all candidates for the federal election to take the Pledge for a Safer Future. The pledge reads: As a candidate for federal parliament, I pledge to:

1. Do what it takes to end all forms of gender-based violence within a generation
2. Champion strong action to prevent all forms of gender-based violence by addressing its drivers and enablers, including gender inequality. 
3. Push for proper funding of specialist sexual, domestic and family violence services - to ensure everyone affected can access the support they need, and that perpetrators’ abusive behaviours are reduced. 
4. Vote for better legal and institutional responses for victim-survivors to ensure people seeking support are helped, not hurt, by systems that should support them.
5. Vote for safer workplaces by supporting full implementation of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work recommendations to address workplace sexual harassment. 
6. Champion reforms for a safer parliament - including full implementation of the recommendations in the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s ‘Set the Standard’ report. 

As of the Pledge's launch on the 14th April, 65 candidates had taken the pledge. Those were:

• Andrew Wilkie MP | Independent | Clark 
• Nicolette Boele | Independent | Bradfield
• Kylea Tink | Independent | North Sydney
• Kim Rubenstein | Independent | ACT
• Sen. Peter Whish-Wilson | Australian Greens | TAS
• Alana Galli-McRostie | Australian Greens | Goldstein
• Alex Breskin | Australian Greens | Isaacs
• Apurva Shukla | Australian Greens | Werriwa
• Asher Cookson | Australian Greens | Aston
• Bill Pheasant | Australian Greens | Menzies
• Brendan Clarke | Fusion Party | Berowra
• Catherine Robertson | Victorian Socialists | Fraser
• Cecily Rosol | Australian Greens | Bass
• Celeste Liddle | Australian Greens | Cooper
• Chetan Sahai | Australian Greens | Sydney
• Colleen Bolger | Victorian Socialists | Melbourne
• Danielle Mutton | Australian Greens | Blair
• David Deex | Australian Greens | Spence
• Dominic WY Kanak | Australian Greens | Wentworth
• Elijah Suares | UAP | Bendigo
• Ethan Hrnjak | Australian Greens | Mackellar
• Gilbert Wilson | ALP | Wannon
• Greg Elliot | Australian Greens | Mayo
• Jack Boddeke | Australian Greens | Lalor
• Jade Darko | Australian Greens | Franklin
• James Haggerty | Fusion Party | Grayndler
• Janet Murray | Australian Greens | Hunter
• Janine Rees | Australian Progressives Ryan
• Jennifer Cox | Australian Greens | Kennedy
• Jeremy Carter | Australian Greens | Boothby
• Jerome Small | Victorian Socialists | Calwell
• John Photakis | Australian Greens | Kingston
• Kathryn Savery | Australian Greens | Bean
• Katie McCusker | Australian Greens | Sturt
• Kelly Guenoun | UAP | Petrie
• Kim Grierson | Australian Greens | Shortland
• Kristyn Glanville | Australian Greens | Warringah
• Liz Chase | Australian Greens | Jagajaga
• Mandy Nolan | Australian Greens | Richmond
• Mat Morgan | Australian Greens | Monash
• Max Chandler-Mather | Australian Greens | Griffith
• Max Martucci | TNL | Hawke
• Melissa Stevens | Australian Greens | Lilley
• Nadia David | Australian Labor Party | Indi
• Natasa Sojic | Australian Greens | Fenner
• Neil Cotter | Australian Greens | Rankin
• Nicole Thompson | Australian Greens | Wright
• Patrick Deegan | ALP | Page
• Piers Mitchem | Australian Greens | Kooyong
• Rebecca Galdies | Australian Greens | Adelaide
• Sarah Jefford | Australian Greens | Wills
• Sarah Russell | Independent | Flinders
• Scott Hardiman | UAP | Kooyong
• Sonya Semmens | Australian Greens | Higgins
• Steph Hodgins-May | Australian Greens | Macnamara
• Stephen Bates | Australian Greens | Brisbane
• Suzette Rodoreda | Australian Greens | Gellibrand
• Tim Hollo | Australian Greens | Canberra
• Victor Kline | TNL | North Sydney
• Andrea Leong | Fusion Party | NSW
• Brandon Selic | Fusion Party | QLD
• David Kennedy | Fusion Party | SA
• Drew Wolfendale | Fusion Party | SA
• Felix Dance | Socialist Alliance | VIC
• Tim Viljoen | Fusion Party | WA