Landry accused of ‘cheering on’ cuts that affect women – Morning Bulletin

Federal Sydney MP and Australia Labor Party's Tanya Plibersek has accused Capricornia MP Michelle Landry of "cheering on" Australian Government cuts that affect women, calling her a "phony".

Ms Plibersek, the Shadow Minister for Education and Shadow Minister for Women, along with Keppel MP Brittany Lauga, met with Central Queensland women's group Enough is Enough on Saturday at Kershaw Gardens to hear their concerns and talk about issues that affected them.

Ms Plibersek said the women in the group had a "gutful" of the Australian Government cutting the supports and services they needed, as well as wages and work conditions.

"They are very disappointed with Michelle Landry who is happy to talk a big game up here but is just a pussycat when she is in Canberra," she said.

"She doesn't just allow these cuts to happen, she cheers them on.

"This isn't personal, she is not a bad person, she supports bad policies when she is in Canberra.

"Policies that hurt like the penalty rate cuts, and policies that have delivered historic low wages growth like the cuts to emergency accommodation, cuts to legal services, the abolition of the Family Court, cuts to health and education.

"All these things have really hurt ordinary women and they are tired of being represented by someone who doesn't stand up for them. They want a fighter, not a phony."

Ms Landry said it was "ironic" Ms Plibersek should come into Central Queensland "spreading untruths" about the Family Court issue the week she opened a brand new $2.3 million Federal Circuit Court in Rockhampton.

"This new state of the art facility along with the Rockhampton based Circuit Court judge, who has been here for over three years now, will keep families safe while saving them the extra stress and expense associated with travelling to Brisbane to have their family issues settled," she said.

Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry. Picture: Gary Ramage

"The Family Court reforms do not abolish the Family Court, this is a Labor lie.

"It creates a single new structure of two divisions, one being the Family Court of Australia and the other being the Federal Circuit Court which deals with 90 per cent of parenting applications.

"Division 1 of the Family Court cannot be abolished and cannot fall beneath 25 judges.

"One single point of entry to the system means families will no longer be bounced around between different courts, an issue that contributed to lengthy delays

"As far as the work I do for the electorate of Capricornia and the work I do in Canberra on behalf of the people of Central Queensland, I will stand on my record.

"Next time the Member for Sydney comes to my electorate I would urge her to take a little extra time to drive around and see the roads, the infrastructure and the prosperity here in Capricornia which has created many jobs.

"There is always more work to be done and the people of Capricornia can be assured that while the opposition snipe from the sidelines I am getting on with the job."

Ms Plibersek said issues brought up by women in Central Queensland included domestic and family violence, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

"They want to see better supports for women who experienced sexual harassment at work, so the perpetrators are held to account," she said.

"Too many women lose their jobs if they are the victim of sexual harassment.

"There was also a number of people who raised sexual assault.

"We know that too many women who experience sexual assault don't go to the police and don't go through the court processes because they are too traumatic.

"We need to make sure our legal system better responds to the needs of victims of sexual assault.

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"We also talked about the fact that there is not nearly enough emergency accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence.

"Too many get turned away and many have to leave Rockhampton if they are the victim of domestic violence because they can't find an affordable place to stay with their children.

"There were calls for legal changes, greater supports, and culture change."

She said the Australian Labor Party had policies that would make a difference, including cheaper childcare, better wages growth, an eventual superannuation growth of 12 per cent and 10 days paid domestic violence leave.

"We will have more policies between now and the next election," she said.

Ms Lauga said it was the first meeting since the first Enough is Enough rally in early April.

She said it was great to continue conversations about issues that included equality of life for women in Central Queensland, domestic and family violence, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

Co-ordinator of Enough is Enough, Ashleigh Saunders, said the women of the group appreciated having Ms Plibersek in Rockhampton to hear their concerns.

"It's not often that regional Queensland women get together like this and have our voices heard about important issues affecting us," Ms Saunders said.

The Yeppoon woman said the group continued to grow every day.

"We are close to 500 members now," she said.

"Every single day there is more and more people joining our Facebook group and more and more people getting involved in the issues that are affecting Central Queensland.

"We have been talking to Tanya today about those issues that mainly affect women in Central Queensland, and we will be looking at taking those further to our Federal Member."

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Landry accused of 'cheering on' cuts that affect women - Morning Bulletin