Editorial
‘All options’ were on the table to tackle DV, but now the most obvious one is off
For nearly a fortnight, the NSW government has told us “all options are on the table” to combat the crisis of men murdering, assaulting and raping women in our state.
It turns out one option, a state-based royal commission, is now off the table. In a press conference on Monday, Premier Chris Minns made a compelling case for why a major inquiry would make sense but then confirmed his government has opted against holding one.
NSW Premier Chris Minns announces the funding package on Monday. Credit: AAP
“Calls for a royal commission in NSW are completely valid,” he said, before going on to list some of the complex factors behind gendered violence that it could explore, and noting that a 2015 royal commission in Victoria led to a positive impact in that state.
“A royal commission, if you look at it from a perspective of trying to solve this entrenched, difficult problem, is attractive for the government,” Minns said. Then came the “but”.
“But it does two things: it costs money and it takes time,” he said. “And we’ve decided, having worked closely with the domestic violence sector and other stakeholders in the community, that we don’t have any time and the money’s got to get into the sector straight away. We haven’t taken that decision lightly.”
Minns has presented the options facing the government in binary terms: that he can either spend money on improved support services now or spend the same money on a royal commission that may take 12 or 18 months to go about its work.
The Herald agrees with the premier that immediate action is needed, but he and cabinet have missed a moment to do something with generational consequences. There’s no reason why the Minns government can’t adopt a two-track approach to this issue whereby obvious reforms are developed, funded and implemented now, and a royal commission goes about exploring the underlying reasons behind why so many women are being murdered each week, to protect future generations.
Announcing a $230 million funding increase over four years on Monday, Minns acknowledged governments have failed on this issue for many years. “We’re very sorry that this package was not released or announced earlier,” he said. “But we’re determined to learn from the mistakes that have been made by my government and previous governments over the past decades.”
It’s an admirable goal. But why should we have any confidence governments will achieve it now after they have failed every other time? We must push beyond the immediate cycle of horrific murder followed by a short-term political response. Labor spent 12 years in opposition and is wasting the gift of power to do something good.
After a fortnight of national rage, we are now in a position where both the state and federal governments have ruled out a royal commission into gendered violence. The cycle of short-term politics has been frustrating for a long time. On this issue, we fear it will also prove deadly.
If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
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