Congratulations to Heather Nancarrow, the Director of the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research based at CQU Mackay, who has been appointed as deputy-chair of the National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children.

Minister for the Status of Women Tanya Plibersek this week announced the members of its National Council, to be chaired by one of the founders of the Australian White Ribbon Day campaign and international human rights advocate, Libby Lloyd AM.

Heather Nancarrow

Ms Nancarrow has an additional role as Convenor of the Queensland Domestic Violence Services Network and has more than 25 years' experience in the domestic and family violence prevention field, including 11 years in community-based women's services and approximately 10 years in government policy. This included management of Queensland's Domestic Violence Prevention Unit, with responsibility for domestic violence legislation, cross-government policy coordination and community education.

The CQU staff member's primary research interests include justice responses to domestic and family violence, and responses that meet the needs of Indigenous, and rural and remote communities.

The 9 other members of the Council are: Lisa Wilkinson, Pauline Woodbridge, Vanessa Swan, Dorinda Cox, Andrew O'Keefe, Melanie Heenan, Associate Professor Moira Carmody, Maria Dimopoulos and Rachel Kayrooz.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that around 1 in 3 Australian women experience physical violence and almost 1 in 5 experience sexual violence over their lifetime.

No person should fear for their safety at home, at work, or on the street.

The purpose of the Council is to assist with the development and implementation the Government's National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children, which aims to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault.

Council members have been drawn from diverse professional and personal backgrounds, which will enable them to provide expert advice and direction to assist the Government to lead the Plan.

Upcoming priorities include:

• Developing respectful relationship resources for Australian high school students to educate young

Australians, particularly boys, about the impact of domestic violence and sexual assault;

• $1 million over 4 years to support White Ribbon Day education activities in rural and regional

communities to promote culture-change that will reduce violence against women; and

• Toughening and harmonising state and territory domestic violence and sexual assault laws.

The Council will start work by undertaking a public consultation with a broad range of stakeholders including members of the public, victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and criminal justice sector professionals.

The Council will provide expert advice and direction to the Government to ensure evidence, best practice and innovation underpin the development of the Plan.