Policy Positions on Domestic Violence in Australia

This essay critically analyzes the policy positions of political parties in Australia on domestic violence and examines how ideology underpins these positions. It discusses the key social issue of domestic violence, the impact it has on victims, and the measures taken by the Australian government to address it. The essay also explores the different ideologies of political parties and their approaches to tackling domestic violence.

Essay

Table of Contents
TOPIC: Critically analyse different policy positions by political parties in Australia on a key
social issue to demonstrate an understanding of how ideology underpins these policy positions. .1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................1
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
.........................................................................................................................................................5

TOPIC: Critically analyse different policy positions by political parties in
Australia on a key social issue to demonstrate an understanding of how
ideology underpins these policy positions
Introduction
Today, to underpin the policy positions taken by political parties can only be examined
by the way, they represent key social issues and address it. Domestic violence is considered as
one of the key social issue, that incurs significantly as economic, social and emotional costs to
victims and associated people (Nancarrow, 2019). The present paper demonstrates a brief
overview over this social issue, along with a critical review of policy positions of Australian
political parties, to examine the way it has been addressed. For this purpose, a discussion is made
on particular political ideology i.e. Human Rights to underpin policy position.
Main Body
Domestic, family and sexual violence is one of the major social and welfare issues, that
affects people from all ages and background. It refers to a certain act of violence which takes
place within family members and mostly in intimate relationship (Alston and Bowles, 2019).
Considering the last five year data, it has been interpreted that over 2.2 millions of Australian has
faced domestic violence, especially 1 in 2 women have been sexually assaulted by their partners
(Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia: continuing the national story 2019, 2020).
Apart from sexual assault, unequal distribution of power in domestic settings, where one family
member has control over others and for dominating and maintaining own level of control, uses
domestic violence is considered as major problem faced by many Australians. It causes fear
among people of all age in terms of psychological, sexual and physical damage, which highly
affects the quality of life of victims.
Domestic and family violence has received an unprecedented attention in Australia, over
the last few years. This issue has generated the bipartisan community and political support for
law reformation, greater resources as well as cultural change (Johnson, 2019). An act to
maximise the safety, well-being and protection of people who are at higher risk of domestic
violence is passed in Australia – Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012. This law
allows courts take legal actions against offenders to protect victims. Along with this, special
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power is given to police for responding on such criminal matters by issuing a police protection
notice. In addition to this, a number of initiatives by Australian Government have been taken for
improving the responses of police towards domestic violence (Anderson and Holloway, 2020).
For an instance, in September 2015, it has identified that the Federal Government has committed
financial resources along with awareness campaigns to a range of initiatives, including a
specialised training organised for strengthening the police emergency services, to reduce
domestic violence (Holloway, Miragliotta and Manwaring, 2019). Furthermore, to support legal
services, financial commitments also has been followed within October 2015.
Considering emergence of responding towards domestic violence, it is absolutely refers
to be a political issue, wherein, Australian Greens in 2014 initiate a Senate Inquiry with support
of oppositions into Domestic-violence (Australia's Domestic Violence Emergency, 2019). This
attempt establish the extent at which Federal government could and should make policies for
eliminating such issue (Alston and Bowles, 2019) (Nancarrow, 2019). As per the media report
release in 2016, it has been identified that on seeing increased demand for legal services to stop
domestic-violence in Queensland, Australian Greens one of the political party, calls on Turnbull
Government for reversing its funding cut to legal centres of community, which will help in
boosting long term funding. Leader of this political party Mr. Richard Di Natale has made
arguments for funding cut reversed that every brave women who seeks to reaches out for help for
escaping violence, should receive fund (Johnson, 2019). Therefore, this leader has further
demanded for near about $200 million per year also for legal assistance (Surging demand for
domestic violence legal services: Turnbull must reverse Abbott-era cut, boost funding by $200
million, 2016). While another leader Mr. Senator Waters has argued on this statement that
victims are required more than funds for escaping and moving on with their lives, it includes safe
accommodations, crisis support, legal services and so on. While another political party of
Australia – Palmer United Party, its federal leader has respond in a different way on domestic-
violence (Holloway, Miragliotta and Manwaring, 2019). Mr. Palmer has said that despite of
policy made for increasing funds, it is essential to aware police force to take strict actions and
concern more towards domestic-violence like other forms of violent behaviour (United
Australian Party: Make Australia Great, 2019). Women, young people and mostly lives of
children are at risk of such violence in domestic settings. Therefore, rigorous actions need to be
taken for strengthening the government authorities' action towards such a crime. Police force
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must give these offensive crimes as the highest priority and taken it seriously for reducing the
domestic-violence (Holloway, Miragliotta and Manwaring, 2019).
It has been analysed through response of both political parties of Australia viz. Palmer
United Party and Australian Greens, has responded in different-different ways to present and
address the domestic-violence (Anderson and Holloway, 2020). By strengthening police force
and give them powers to respond immediately for any kind of domestic-violence will help in
reducing it. It will help in raising fear in offenders and stopping them to conduct such violence
in their homes or against their partners. Along with this, raising more funding activities for
strengthening legal services and other resources, will help women to overcome from such
violence and move on from their critical life situations. But major challenges that could be
identified here is that responses of political parties have not been tailored and accessible yet in
desired manner (Johnson, 2019). Along with this, failure to make investment in primary
prevention, inadequate and improper funding of services, including lack of evidence about what
has been worked well and where changes are necessary, etc. considered as some main aspects
that need to be addressed for reducing the increased case of domestic-violence in Australia
(Anderson and Holloway, 2020).
Moving towards the ideology of political parties of Australia and other countries, it has
been identified that most of them believe that gender inequality is main root cause of domestic-
violence (Alston and Bowles, 2019) . As per special report, Australia is first country that has
made national strategy for tacking the issue related with domestic-violence. Government
authorities and police force emphasis more to stop such social and political issue. Coalition
Government an d major political parties have believed that gender inequality i.e. male dominant
culture including the stubborn stereotypes regarding with role of men and women, arise
domestic-violence (Nancarrow, 2019). All violent behaviour against women start with
disrespecting them, which acknowledges the deep sexism has been embedded in culture and
results in occurrence of such violence. Therefore, this kind of ideology has changed the
evidences that collect from cases of domestic-violence, that states that killing on average one
female every week, terrorise children and young ones who witness it, doesn't happen only due to
gender inequality. In this regard, it has been examined that The current responses of Australian
Government towards domestic violence i.e. gender inequality need to be replaced or enhanced
with evidence-based approaches, such as addressing the contributing factors that leads to arise
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such violence at homes or within intimate relationship like alcohol, drugs as well as mental
health. Alcoholic consumptions and drug related violence considered as major factor that arise
incidence of domestic-violence as per police investigation report, therefore, taking strict actions
against them, will help in reducing such crimes and improve victims' quality of life at their
homes.
Conclusion
From all over the discussion, it has been concluded that Government of Australia in order
to response towards domestic violence has taken various steps. It includes different forms of
preventive programs, funding support to victims or survivors including their families; law
enforcement etc. Each political party like Australia Greens, Palmer United Party and others, have
responded in different-different manner, to help people to overcome from domestic violence and
move on in their lives. Along with this, each jurisdiction in respective country like variety of
laws, safety programs and policies has been responded and attempted to prevent people
especially women, children and young ones from domestic violence. But if government of this
nation would emphasis more on reducing inequalities among people on the basis of gender, take
actions for alcohol and drug related issues, etc. then it will provide better prevention to
Australians from domestic-violence.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Holloway, J., Miragliotta, N., & Manwaring, R. (2019). Issue competition between Green and
social democratic parties in majoritarian settings: the case of Australia. Australian
Journal of Political Science. 54(1). 18-36.
Anderson, K. T., & Holloway, J. (2020). Discourse analysis as theory, method, and epistemology
in studies of education policy. Journal of Education Policy. 35(2) 188-221.
Johnson, C. (2019). Gender Research and Discursive Policy Framing. In Gender Innovation in
Political Science (pp. 195-217). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2019). Research for social workers: An introduction to methods.
Routledge.
Nancarrow, H. (2019). Unintended consequences of domestic violence law: Gendered
aspirations and racialised realities. Springer Nature.
Online
Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia: continuing the national story 2019. (2020).
[Online] Available
Through:<https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/domestic-violence/family-domestic-sexual-
violence-australia-2019/contents/summary>.
Australia's Domestic Violence Emergency. (2019). [Online] Available
Through:<https://greens.org.au/magazine/australias-domestic-violence-emergency>.
Surging demand for domestic violence legal services: Turnbull must reverse Abbott-era cut,
boost funding by $200 million. (2016). [Online] Available
Through:<https://greensmps.org.au/articles/surging-demand-domestic-violence-legal-
services-turnbull-must-reverse-abbott-era-cut-boost>.
United Australian Party: Make Australia Great. (2019). [Online] Available
Through:<https://www.unitedaustraliaparty.org.au/urgent-changes-needed-for-policing-
of-domestic-violence/>.
Australians are being told that gender inequality is the root cause of domestic violence. But is
it?. (2020). [Online] Available
Through:<https://www.unitedaustraliaparty.org.au/urgent-changes-needed-for-policing-
of-domestic-violence/>.
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