Ms LYNDA VOLTZ (Auburn) (12:09): My question is addressed to the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Will the Minister update the House on how the Minns Labor Government is supporting victim-survivors of sexual assault?
Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown—Minister for Women, Minister for Seniors, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault) (12:09): I thank the member for Auburn for her question, her interest in this area and the opportunity to speak about what the Government is doing. Every woman and girl in this State deserves to feel safe and be safe. No victim-survivor of sexual violence should feel that the system is working against them. The recent incidents of violence against women that have been reported in the media are shocking and unacceptable. The Government knows that reported rates of sexual violence have been rising and is acting on two fronts. Firstly, we are strengthening supports for victim-survivors and, secondly, we are working to stop the violence in the first place.
Victim-survivors who make the difficult choice to come forward and report a sexual assault to police and seek justice deserve a court process that supports them and does not exacerbate their trauma. That is why our most recent budget included $4.9 million to improve the experience of victim-survivors in the courts. That will fund a pilot for ground rules hearings in sexual assault matters, the expansion of vulnerable witness protections in criminal court, and research on the operation of the sexual assault communication privilege. Those significant reforms are contained in a bill that was introduced by the Attorney General, who works very hard in this space, and are currently before the House. They will help victim-survivors give their best evidence and will strengthen the trial process.
We have also tasked the University of Sydney to look at how the sexual assault communications privilege is operating and consider options for reform. That builds on our half a billion dollar justice package, which will deliver a new hub for victim-survivors of sexual assault, with audiovisual links and support services onsite, virtual courtrooms and funding for the Child Sexual Offence Evidence Program. We have also invested $6.2 million in the Strengthening Sexual Violence Justice Responses package for 11 justice system navigators across the State. They will provide trauma-informed guidance right through the justice process for survivors of sexual assault. The package also includes setting up the Sexual Assault Survivors' Legal Service so victim‑survivors can access free specialist legal advice as they seek justice.
Our support for victim-survivors does not end at the courtroom door. We are supporting long-term recovery through our $3.35 million Sexual Violence Recovery and Healing Grant Program. We want to make sure victim-survivors can access trauma-informed, culturally safe support to improve their healing and recovery. But we do not just want to respond to violence—we want to stop it before it starts. That is why we are also doing the important whole‑of‑government primary prevention work to address the drivers of gendered violence.
We have invested an additional $8 million in the All In program, which works with our littlest people to teach them how to have respectful relationships. We have expanded our Respectful Relationships Education pilots. I thank the Deputy Premier, and Minister for Education and Early Learning, for her work on this. The pilots involve work across up to 150 schools, taking a whole-of-school approach to teaching respect and consent. We are also working with people where they live, work and play. I thank the Minister for Sport for the work his agency is doing on our Game on for Change grants with sporting organisations.
We are also supporting employers to address gender-based violence in the workplace through the SafeWork NSW From Risk to Respect workshops, and I thank the Minister for Work Health and Safety for the work her agency is doing on that. Through our NSW Primary Prevention Multi-Year Partnerships Grant Program, we are partnering with community organisations on local initiatives to change attitudes and behaviours that tolerate violence against women. We recently convened a sexual violence round table with experts, advocates, victim-survivors and the sector to address the serious issue of sexual violence among young people. From that round table, we will develop a new sexual violence plan. I have given some great examples of how this Government is taking a whole-of-government approach to prevent and respond to sexual violence. We will keep working with the sector to ensure that women and girls in New South Wales can be safe.
