Tanya Plibersek on the PM’s viral DV comments and calls for a royal commission
episodePreviously titled “Tanya Plibersek on the PM’s ‘tone deaf’ DV comments and calls for a royal commission” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 2, 2026
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What recent events have highlighted the urgency of addressing domestic violence in Australia?
Australia is again being forced to reckon with the violence being inflicted on women and children.
You know, we've seen four deaths in now four days of women and we were yet to hear anything, any government official, especially you yourself, Prime Minister, talk about it. I know that there is a call for a Royal Commission into the deaths of women. There's 90,000 signatures so far. What does your government feel about that?
Why is there a call for a Royal Commission into domestic violence deaths?
Will we see this Royal Commission? There's calls for a Royal Commission about everything.
The PM's sudden disdain for Royal Commissions is out of step with what thousands of Australians want to see in response to the scourge of domestic violence. After another devastating week, thousands of people from all walks of life have backed calls for a Royal Commission into the killing of women and children at the hands of an intimate partner or someone they know. But the government says the country doesn't need another inquiry It needs action on what is already known.
We know what's required in terms of the economic support to get out. We know there's a need for more alternative housing. We know there's a need for more counselling and for community workers. And we need to get on with action.
What is the government's stance on the need for a Royal Commission?
I'm Daniel James and you're listening to 7am. Today, Social Services Minister Tania Plibersek on the pressure for a national reckoning, the limits of government response and the growing concern about how violence is shaping the lives of young people.
It's Monday, May 25. Minister, welcome to 7am.
It's a pleasure to be with you.
Minister, in the last week, five women and two children have been killed in very devastating circumstances that have shaken a lot of people in this country. And yet when the PM was asked about calls for a Royal Commission into the killing of Australian women and girls, he said... But you've got to work out what does a Royal Commission do besides fund lawyers? That's a pretty dismissive response, isn't it?
I understand why people want a Royal Commission, because they say this is such an important issue for our society. And when an issue is important, they think a Royal Commission is an appropriate response. What people who work on the frontline have said to me again and again is we've been consulted. We've had eight royal commissions and major reports in recent years with a thousand recommendations. Our Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Commissioner, Michaela Cronin, last year totaled up all these recommendations. And I've got a lot of sympathy for the argument of frontline workers that we've been consulted.
How does Tanya Plibersek view the effectiveness of previous inquiries?
We know what the problem is. What we need is sustained action to change the incidence of violence in our community.
Just if we just stick on the idea of a Royal Commission for a moment. The Prime Minister in 2021 said about the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide that a Royal Commission is the most powerful form of inquiry that we have. We'll ask the hard questions. We'll find the hard truths.
The fact is we're not doing enough in this area. And that's why the call for a Royal Commission is reasonable. This is one that's been led not by politicians. This has been led by the families of veterans.
Why is that different for this particular circumstance?
Because we know so much of what we need to do. I go back to those thousand recommendations. Frontline workers, I've just come from a service now, multicultural workers working with refugee and immigrant women. They'll tell me what I need to do.
What actions are being proposed to combat domestic violence in Australia?
I'm meeting people every single day who say we've been consulted. This is what we need more of. And like I say, I mean, in Victoria, you've had a Royal Commission here. The South Australian government's had a Royal Commission. We've had the coronial inquests in the Northern Territory. We've had the rapid review that all of the premiers and chief ministers and prime minister commissioned a little while ago. It's not that we don't understand family, domestic and sexual violence. Unfortunately, we understand it all too well because it is so prevalent.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What recent events have highlighted the urgency of addressing domestic violence in Australia?
0:00–0:21
2
Why is there a call for a Royal Commission into domestic violence deaths?
0:21–1:13
3
What is the government's stance on the need for a Royal Commission?
1:13–2:49
4
How does Tanya Plibersek view the effectiveness of previous inquiries?
2:49–3:48
5
What actions are being proposed to combat domestic violence in Australia?
3:48–4:58
6
How is child support being weaponized against victims of domestic violence?
4:58–5:59
7
What role do young people play in the rising statistics of domestic violence?
5:59–7:28
8
How can society collectively address the issue of domestic violence?
7:28–18:24
Speakers
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