Ask Higgins candidates to back full funding of family violence services

Every year, thousands of women trying to escape family violence are left without the services they need to be safe, because of Government funding decisions.

This election is a key opportunity to change that. 

Can you email your local candidates in Higgins to ask them if their party is committed to providing the $2 billion experts say is needed to address the family violence epidemic?

The seat of Higgins is a key battleground for political parties this election -- which means locals are in a powerful position to influence which issues parties are prioritising in their final election commitments.

Can you take 5 minutes to email your local candidates?

 

Click here for contact details

For highest impact we recommend sending separate emails to each candidate. But if you can't do that, we recommend making sure you use the "bcc" field so they can't see that you've sent the same email to the other candidates.

Sitting member: Kelly O'Dwyer MP (Liberal)
Email: [email protected]


Labor Candidate: Carl Katter
Email: [email protected]


Greens Candidate: Jason Ball
Email: [email protected]

Click here for tips on what to write

Here are some pointers for putting together your email:
  • Introduce yourself - Explain that you're a local voter. If you voted for their party at the last election, you might want to mention this. 

  • Explain the reason you're emailing - Let them know that you're extremely concerned that thousands of women don't have access to adequate family violence service support and that you're worried the Federal Government still isn't providing adequate funding for services.

  • Mention that you're aware key peak bodies say $2 billion of federal funding is needed to address the family violence epidemic. Ask if their party is committed to providing that funding.

  • You might also want to mention:
    • That right now specialist services can't keep up with referrals from police; refuges can't shelter all the women seeking their help; community legal centres are forced to turn away women relying on their help and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women don't have access to appropriate services nationwide.
    • The Victorian Royal Commission found that the under-resourcing services is having dangerous consequences for women's safety. The Victorian Government committed $572 million of funding just to address service and system gaps in that one state.
    • That you're aware the federal government has an almost equal responsibility with the states for funding a number of the key services.
    • That you know community legal centres are a critical service for women affected by violence, and are aware that the federal government is set to cut $34.8 million of funding from 2017.
    • That Family Violence Prevention Legal Services need an additional $28 million to ensure national coverage of their service. 
  • Say that you look forward to their response and thank them for their time.

Once you've sent your email, please forward us a copy at [email protected] so we can keep track of all the powerful messages being sent to the candidates on this issue!

 

Authorised by Renee Carr, Fair Agenda, Suite 103, 55 Holt Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.