Violence against women requires responses from all levels of government, the service systems and the wider community. The Council found that all systems needed to work together to make a major difference to the prevalence and the impacts of violence against women. The Council recommended urgent action is taken to ensure Commonwealth, State, Territory and Local Governments work together to respond to violence against women and establish performance reporting measures that encourage collaboration.29
Already the Government’s social inclusion agenda incorporates the need for departments to work together and for governments to work more closely with the not-for-profit sector. A National Compact is being developed with the not-for-profit sector that will support greater joint action on complex social issues such as violence against women and their children.
Involving all governments and the wider community is critical to reducing violence against women. Many of Time for Action’s recommendations require joint effort by the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments and the community more broadly.
The Australian Government will take Time for Action to COAG.
The Australian Government will work with the State and Territory Governments to develop the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women for release in 2010.
The National Plan will include clear measures of performance.