Thursday, 7 March 2024

Southern Metropolitan Region

Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (12:50): (733) My question is to the Minister for Women. Can the minister provide an update on how the Allan Labor government is supporting women in my local community across southern metropolitan Melbourne. Last week I met with Nickie, the CEO of St Kilda Gatehouse, to discuss the young women’s program. St Kilda Gatehouse is a not-for-profit organisation that has historically supported street-based sex workers in St Kilda, but they have a new program they are running to support some of the vulnerable young women at risk of or affected by sexual exploitation, offering relational support to strengthen protective factors to help vulnerable women experiencing addiction, homelessness, poverty, domestic violence, abuse and isolation. They do amazing work across the southern suburbs of Melbourne. With International Women’s Day this week, I would like to both congratulate them for that work but also reiterate that we must continue to reflect on ways that we can all support women’s rights, support women at risk of abuse and promote gender equality.