Malcolm Turnbull announces plans to eradicate domestic violence against women in Australia

In his first major announcement after becoming prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull declared plans to fight domestic violence in Australia. The Federal Government announced a $100 million package on Thursday to tackle the problem of domestic and family violence.

"All violence against women begins with disrespecting women," Mr Turnbull told reporters at the launch in Melbourne. "We as leaders, as a government must make it -- and we will make it -- a clear national objective of ours to ensure that Australia is more respecting of women."

He also noted the role each parent plays in teaching their sons to respect women. "We have to make it as though it was un-Australian to disrespect women."

The announcement came following reports of a NSW man charged with the murder of a 12-year-old schoolgirl. The girl was found dead by her family members at their Hunter Valley home on Wednesday.

“Real men don’t hit women,” Mr Turnbull had told Channel Nine’s “Today” show earlier this week. He said that the issue of domestic violence, which is largely violence against women, is an enormous one. “It has been overlooked, to some extent ignored, for far too long. We have to have, we must have, zero tolerance for it.”

As part of the package, women fleeing domestic violence will be handed out mobile phones by the federal government. Minister for Women Michaelia Cash said that providing mobile phones will help women escape from perpetrators who could be using their personal mobile phones to track them down. Such cases of “technology facilitated abuse” have been reported by domestic violence workers in Victoria. Cash said the phones would come with pre-paid credit.

At the same time, $35 million will be spent over three years on training police, social workers and emergency staff to help women. Hospital staff will also be trained to better identify cases of domestic violence and lawyers will be posted on duty at hospitals to provide assistance to such cases.

There are even plans to put GPS trackers in place to monitor the movements of abusers and introduce safety buttons for women so they can call for help.

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