Four deaths in four days sparked renewed calls for a royal commission into violence against women, with a Hobart commercial radio host putting the idea directly to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The petition referenced on the program has now reached 131,873 signatures, with 20 people adding their names in the space of 40 minutes. However, the prime minister’s response — that royal commissions primarily “fund lawyers” — has drawn criticism from some quarters. While many working to end domestic, family and sexual violence don’t support the call for a royal commission, they don’t entirely back the prime minister’s approach either, viewing his comment as dismissive of legitimate community anguish.
Advertisement
On paper, a royal commission is an independent, public inquiry, but in the collective consciousness, it is also a sign that an issue is of the utmost importance. This is despite the fact that many recommendations from royal commissions are left ignored for years or decades, as seen in previous inquiries into institutional abuse and natural disasters. Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin isn’t a big backer of a national royal commission. “What we need to see now is action, coordinated action at a national level that is funded commensurate with the scale of the problem,” she said, arguing that further inquiry risks delaying implementation of already well‑documented solutions.
Cronin said she understands why people may want a royal commission, but she and her team have examined thousands of recommendations already made by more than 25 different inquiries — including royal commissions and inquests — providing practical solutions to stop and respond to violence against women and children. They found while many recommendations were repeated in report after report, they were never acted upon. Some of them were made by Cronin herself in the report of the federal government’s own rapid review into how to prevent violence against women and children, which was delivered more than two years ago. The lack of follow‑through has frustrated advocates who see the issue as one of political will rather than lack of knowledge.
