Parliament House to Go Orange to Combat Gender Violence

Beginning tonight, the Australian Parliament House will glow orange to mark the annual 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence.
This global initiative spans from Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to Dec. 10, Human Rights Day.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used the occasion to call for accelerated action on the issue.
“We cannot be satisfied until women feel safe, until this is no longer an issue. People need to mobilise in the streets, but I do have hope that we can get there,” he declared.
Housing remains a cornerstone of these efforts, with 4,000 social and affordable homes earmarked for victims of domestic violence through the Housing Australia Future Fund.
Legal and preventive reforms targeting high-risk perpetrators are also central to ending gender-based violence within a generation.
The prime minister commended Ministers Amanda Rishworth and Justin Elliott for their dedication and reiterated his administration’s resolve to continue fighting gender violence.
The issue also dominated in the Senate, with Minister for Women Katy Gallagher echoing the government’s dedication to combating gender violence, including $3.9 billion for legal assistance, additional housing funding, and parenting payment reforms.
Gallagher highlighted the importance of legislative measures like paid domestic violence leave and family law reforms to offer greater security and fairness to survivors.
She pointed out that over 60 women have been killed in domestic violence incidents this year.
In New South Wales, police respond to a family violence call every four minutes, and domestic violence-related assaults have risen by 6.5 percent over the past year.
“Today is about committing ourselves to that task,” Ley said.
She said tackling the issue would save lives and create a safer, healthier society.
Liberal Senator Jane Hume reinforced the urgency, citing 56 murders of women by men this year and a record number of family violence reports in Victoria and Western Australia.
Domestic Violence Commissioner Michaela Cronin urged society to confront the power imbalances underpinning gender violence.
“This shift in language is essential for creating a cultural change that challenges the norms and attitudes that perpetuate violence,” she told the National Press Club.
Cronin talked about the importance of victim-centred approaches, engaging men in prevention efforts, and improving survivor support.