2079. Hon Alison Xamon to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Child Protection; Women’s Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services:
I refer to Recommendation 2 of the Practice of dowry and the incidence of dowry abuse in Australia inquiry report by the Senate’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, regarding the harmonisation of domestic violence order legislation to explicitly recognise dowry abuse as family violence or economic abuse, and I ask:
(a) does the Minister support this recommendation;
(b) if no to (a), why not;
(c) if yes to (a), has any work begun to action the Committee’s recommendations; and
(d) if yes to (b), what work has been undertaken?
Hon Sue Ellery replied:
(a)–(d) The Department of Communities and the Department of Justice are currently reviewing the work of the Senate’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee to increase understanding about the incidence of dowry abuse in Australia, and the recommendations from the inquiry report.