Domestic violence commissioner promised
A national commissioner to co-ordinate domestic and sexual violence prevention will be appointed under a federal Labor government.
The opposition has also pledged to spent $153.4 million over four years on 500 additional workers to support women in crisis.
Half of those community sector workers would be based in rural and regional Australia.
"Right now, women fleeing violence are being turned away from accommodation and services because of insufficient funding towards sector workers, and the failure to recognise this tragedy as a national priority," Labor leader Anthony Albanese said.
A family, domestic and sexual violence commissioner would be appointed to report yearly on progress at stopping violence against women and children under successive national plans.
They would also help co-ordinate consistent access to support services across the country, and work with states, territories and Commonwealth agencies to ensure there was the necessary data to inform effective investment.
Mr Albanese accused the Morrison government of failing to fund adequately support services and accommodation.
He said refuges reported turning away up to half the women who sought help, while only one in 10 women who wanted to remain in their homes safely had the necessary support to do so.
The extra funding would be used to provide shelters with an extra case manager and community organisations with a financial counsellor.
Specialist women's services would also be able to hire a support worker to help children work through trauma.
Labor previously pledged to spend $100 million on crisis accommodation, and fund 4000 homes for women fleeing violence and those at risk of homelessness.
