❓ Mrs O'Malley asks about the Cook Labor government's investment in supporting homeless women. The Minister outlines funding for Ruah women's Safe Night Space and criticises the opposition's past actions.
AnsweredQoN 240Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Homelessness—Women
240. Mrs Lisa O'Malley to
the Minister for Prevention of Family and
Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring that every Western Australian has a
home.
Can the minister
please outline to the house how the Cook Labor government is investing to
support women experiencing homelessness?
240. Mrs Lisa O'Malley to
the Minister for Prevention of Family and
Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring that every Western Australian has a
home.
Can the minister
please outline to the house how the Cook Labor government is investing to
support women experiencing homelessness?
AnswerView source ↗
I again thank the
member. The member for Bicton and I were elected at the same time and share a
passion for advocating for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence, so
I thank the member for her ongoing advocacy.
Last month Ministers
Swinbourn, Carey and I visited the Ruah women's Safe Night Space. We committed
$10.7 million in the upcoming budget for this space. This funding boost
will allow Ruah to continue to operate this vital service. It is another way that
we are building on our priority of making sure that we build safe and inclusive
communities in Western Australia.
For many women, leaving a violent relationship is one
of the bravest and most significant moments in their life and sometimes
they just need a space to go to for a night or two to take a breath, collect
themselves and figure out what is next. That is what the Ruah women's shelter
is. Women in those situations need a safe place to go right away; they cannot
wait. The Ruah Safe Night Space provides this critical first point of safety,
support and facility for victims escaping family and domestic violence. The
services offered are culturally sensitive and appropriate. It is overnight
accommodation alongside connections to specialist support, so it is a vital
piece of the system response to family and domestic violence.
We on this side
understand how vital this service is. That is in direct contrast to the
opposition. Members may recall that this is the exact same Safe Night Space and
women's shelter that the Leader of the Opposition closed down when he was Lord
Mayor. Our government reopened the shelter and now we are backing it in with
permanent funding to provide ongoing services, ongoing certainty and ongoing
hope to the women that the Leader of the Opposition failed.
The Speaker: The member for Vasse with the last
question.
member. The member for Bicton and I were elected at the same time and share a
passion for advocating for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence, so
I thank the member for her ongoing advocacy.
Last month Ministers
Swinbourn, Carey and I visited the Ruah women's Safe Night Space. We committed
$10.7 million in the upcoming budget for this space. This funding boost
will allow Ruah to continue to operate this vital service. It is another way that
we are building on our priority of making sure that we build safe and inclusive
communities in Western Australia.
For many women, leaving a violent relationship is one
of the bravest and most significant moments in their life and sometimes
they just need a space to go to for a night or two to take a breath, collect
themselves and figure out what is next. That is what the Ruah women's shelter
is. Women in those situations need a safe place to go right away; they cannot
wait. The Ruah Safe Night Space provides this critical first point of safety,
support and facility for victims escaping family and domestic violence. The
services offered are culturally sensitive and appropriate. It is overnight
accommodation alongside connections to specialist support, so it is a vital
piece of the system response to family and domestic violence.
We on this side
understand how vital this service is. That is in direct contrast to the
opposition. Members may recall that this is the exact same Safe Night Space and
women's shelter that the Leader of the Opposition closed down when he was Lord
Mayor. Our government reopened the shelter and now we are backing it in with
permanent funding to provide ongoing services, ongoing certainty and ongoing
hope to the women that the Leader of the Opposition failed.
The Speaker: The member for Vasse with the last
question.
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