Anthony Albanese has referenced a personal experience with family violence during a question time controversy about whether or not governments were acting fast enough to reduce risks and amid criticism about the “tone” of his answers.
The personal reference surfaced as the prime minister faced two questions from independents timed to coincide with sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence – an annual campaign led by UN Women.
Crossbench MPs dressed in orange on Monday to mark their support, and there are plans to illuminate the parliament.
The teal independent Zoe Daniel noted 54 Australian women had been killed this year and children were still being killed by parents once a fortnight. Daniel, the member for Goldstein, asked Albanese what the government intended to “do differently next year to stop women and children being murdered”.
Fellow teal Zali Steggall, the member for Warringah, followed up by asking Albanese where the “urgency” was to deal with the problem.
Albanese outlined the government’s policy actions and offered a robust defence of his policy record, noting the government had increased funding for community service workers dealing with violence against women and children.
Albanese told the chamber “one of the first pieces of legislation that we introduced in this parliament was for 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave.”
The deputy Liberal leader, Sussan Ley, then went to the despatch box to take a point of order. Ley counselled the prime minister to “refine his tone given the subject matter we are discussing”.
Albanese responded to Ley’s intervention with a full-throated defence of his response to the crossbench questions. “I’m passionate about the issue of family and domestic violence and doing something about it,” the prime minister said.
“Because I know – I know the impact that it has. I have been there.”
Albanese shared no specifics about his personal experience on Monday. But a short-lived turbulence in his family life, including fears for his safety during childhood, is referenced briefly in a biography of the prime minister written by the political journalist Karen Middleton.
Monday’s mention was the first time Albanese has referenced his own history in the chamber.
Addressing his remarks to Steggall, Albanese added: “I assure the member for Warringah that I will continue to be a strong advocate, but I am very proud of what my government has done.”
The prime minister said the government’s response to the problem of family violence had not been perfect “because these issues are not perfect”.
“They take time,” the prime minister said.
“It is not just a matter of government, it is a matter of every bloke having a conversation at the pub, at the football, calling it out, and they see that it is wrong. Men have a responsibility, men are in a position to make a difference with their peers.
“This needs to be not just a government response, this needs to be a whole of society response, and that is what I am committed to as a matter of urgency.”
While the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has intensified his partisan attacks on Albanese and the government during recent months, the Liberal leader defended the prime minister on Monday.
“Every government, including this government, has dedicated themselves to doing the best they can to reduce violence, funding through programs, through innovation,” Dutton told the chamber.
“The strongest measures that we can send from this chamber to the Australian public is that we stand united to condemn it, and as the prime minister rightly pointed out, all of us should have conversations, and regular conversations, with our sons, with our nephews, with others that we influence.”
• In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. The crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732.
