Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash
Minister for Industrial Relations
Dear Hon Michaelia Cash
I am writing to you, alongside community sector and union advocates, to again call for the inclusion of 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave in the National Employment Standards. The inclusion of five days of unpaid leave in the National Employment Standards does not go far enough to help victims-survivors escape violence.
Domestic and family violence is a workplace issue. Domestic and family violence can happen to anyone. It impacts all aspects of society and needs to be publicly acknowledged rather than kept hidden. Its pervasiveness sees more than one woman being killed every week on average by a partner or former partner. In 2013 the ACT Government acknowledged this by introducing 20 days of paid leave for domestic and family violence purposes as a formal entitlement in ACT Government enterprise agreements.
Women are nearly three times more likely to experience partner violence than men. Violence is a gendered issue with its root cause in harmful gender norms. This fact points strongly to the need for 10 days of paid domestic and family violence leave as women are already more concentrated in insecure and low-income jobs.
To escape violent relationships victim-survivors need time and resources that are not equally available to everyone, especially if they cannot afford to take time off work. This can leave victims of violence in a very unsafe place. Increasing the entitlement to 10 days paid leave is one aspect of providing greater and much needed assistance to victims of violence.
I have raised this issue previously, but I want to reiterate its importance alongside the advocates who are also signatory to this letter. I welcome any further discussions you would like to have on this.
Yours sincerely
Yvette Berry MLA
Deputy Chief Minister
Minister for Women
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence
Michelle Kirby
ACT Branch Secretary
United Services Union
Carol Matthews
Acting Secretary
Independent Education Union Australia NSW/ACT Branch
Maddy Northam
ACT Regional Secretary
Community and Public Sector Union
Ellen McNally
NSW ACT Women's Officer
National Women's Officer
Electrical Trades Union
Communications Electrical Plumbing Union
Matthew Daniel
Branch Secretary
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation - ACT Branch
Jill McCabe
Chief Executive Officer
Professionals Australia
Angela Burroughs
Branch President
Australian Education Union – ACT Branch
Greg McConville
ACT Branch Secretary
United Firefighters Union of Australia
Matthew Harrison
Secretary
UnionsACT
Lachlan Clohesy
Division Secretary
National Tertiary Education Union ACT Division
Katie Ley
Division President
National Tertiary Education Union ACT Division
Joanne Nava
Acting NSW/ACT Local Executive Secretary
Finance Sector Union of Australia
Cory Wright
Secretary
AMWU NSW/ACT Branch
Lyndal Ryan
Director ACT and Region
United Workers Union
Klaus Pinkas
ACT Sub Branch Secretary
Transport Workers’ Union of Australia
Gerard Hayes
Secretary
Health Services Union ACT/NSW/QLD
Zach Smith
Acting Secretary
CFMEU Construction & General Division ACT Branch
Natalie Lang
Branch Secretary
Australian Services Union NSW and ACT Branch
Frances Crimmins
CEO
YWCA Canberra
Robyn Martin
CEO
Beryl Women Inc.
Advocacy for Inclusion- Incorporating People with Disabilities ACT
Greg Aldridge
CEO
EveryMan
Sel Cooper
Executive Director
A Gender Agenda
Marluce Silva Peters
Coordinator
Doris Women’s Refuge Inc.
Dr Emma Campbell
CEO
Australian Council of Social Service
Chrystina Stanford
CEO
Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
Philippa Moss
CEO
Meridian
Susan Clarke- Lindfield
CEO
Toora Women Inc.
Sue Webeck
CEO
Domestic Violence Crises Service
