CQUniversity researcher Heather Nancarrow was in Canberra this week for a presentation to the Prime Minister of the National Council's Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children...

Ms Nancarrow is Deputy Chair of the National Council*, as well as being Director of the Queensland Centre for Family and Domestic Violence Research, based at CQUniversity Mackay**.

Heather Nancarrow

"The Prime Minister responded by outlining initiatives totalling $42 million and stating that he would take the National Council's plan to COAG this week and work with State and Territory governments on a comprehensive plan (i.e. further implementation of the Council's plan) to be available in 2010," she said.

Funding flowing from this week's launch will establish a national register of domestic and family violence orders and a national telephone and online crisis service, as well as supporting 'respectful relationships' programs, a public information campaign and research on perpetrator treatment and consistent legislation.

Ms Nancarrow is also Chair of the State Ministerial Advisory Council on Domestic and Family Violence and on Tuesday this week presented the Council's end-of term report and recommendations to the Minister for Community Services and Housing and Minister for Women, Karen Struthers.  

"It's been a big week and sheer coincidence that the State Council's report and the National Council's plan were presented to the relevant government on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively," she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Nancarrow is also arranging the 6th annual Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Forum in Mackay on May 11.

This event is expected to attract speakers from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Victoria, as well as from Queensland.

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* The purpose of the National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children 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.

** 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 CQUniversity 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.