This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/01/david-morrison-australia-complacency-domestic-violence-q-a
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Q&A: David Morrison warns Australia against complacency on domestic violence | Q&A: David Morrison warns Australia against complacency on domestic violence |
| (7 months later) | |
| Australia runs the risk of becoming a “nation of bystanders” if it becomes complacent about fighting domestic violence, the former chief of army and 2016 Australian of the Year David Morrison has said. | Australia runs the risk of becoming a “nation of bystanders” if it becomes complacent about fighting domestic violence, the former chief of army and 2016 Australian of the Year David Morrison has said. |
| Morrison appeared on ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night along with Guardian Australia’s Indigenous affairs editor, Stan Grant; director of emergency at St Vincent’s hospital, Gordian Fulde; the director of the Sydney Story Factory, Catherine Keenan, and young Australian of the Year finalist Manal Younus. | Morrison appeared on ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night along with Guardian Australia’s Indigenous affairs editor, Stan Grant; director of emergency at St Vincent’s hospital, Gordian Fulde; the director of the Sydney Story Factory, Catherine Keenan, and young Australian of the Year finalist Manal Younus. |
| Asked about statistics that purported to show the number of incidents of reported domestic violence had fallen, Morrison said: “We are as a society becoming more aware of, I think, the greatest social challenge we face, and that is domestic violence in this country.” | Asked about statistics that purported to show the number of incidents of reported domestic violence had fallen, Morrison said: “We are as a society becoming more aware of, I think, the greatest social challenge we face, and that is domestic violence in this country.” |
| He rejected the claims about the statistics, and said: “Get real Australia. We run the risk at times of being a nation of bystanders comforted by a set of statistics. | He rejected the claims about the statistics, and said: “Get real Australia. We run the risk at times of being a nation of bystanders comforted by a set of statistics. |
| “Let me tell you, there are people dying, and people whose lives are absolutely ruined as a result of domestic violence. And what’s more, we are all as a society, the victim. That’s bullshit.” | “Let me tell you, there are people dying, and people whose lives are absolutely ruined as a result of domestic violence. And what’s more, we are all as a society, the victim. That’s bullshit.” |
| The debate on Q&A focused on issues of race, diversity, domestic violence and how Australia could both celebrate and mourn the history of its Indigenous population and colonial history. | The debate on Q&A focused on issues of race, diversity, domestic violence and how Australia could both celebrate and mourn the history of its Indigenous population and colonial history. |
| "We are all stretched to deal with it" says Morrison of family violence. Gordian Fulde says stats are soft #QandA https://t.co/WVjSGR0APY | "We are all stretched to deal with it" says Morrison of family violence. Gordian Fulde says stats are soft #QandA https://t.co/WVjSGR0APY |
| Morrison also warned about limited funding for many frontline support services. | Morrison also warned about limited funding for many frontline support services. |
| “They are all stretched,” he said. “There is now a demand out there. Women, children, men too are putting their hands up and saying: I can no longer live this way. | “They are all stretched,” he said. “There is now a demand out there. Women, children, men too are putting their hands up and saying: I can no longer live this way. |
| “We are all stretched to deal with this, but if we don’t deal with it, what is the legacy we leave for those who follow us?” | “We are all stretched to deal with this, but if we don’t deal with it, what is the legacy we leave for those who follow us?” |
| Keenan told the panel there were “women dying every day, it’s still something we as a society have to address”. | Keenan told the panel there were “women dying every day, it’s still something we as a society have to address”. |
| Fulde added that domestic violence statistics should be treated cautiously, and that it remained an extraordinary concern. | Fulde added that domestic violence statistics should be treated cautiously, and that it remained an extraordinary concern. |
| He said: “The sad reality, the number of patients who come to emergency department who are offered counselling, still they say no. They don’t even want the police involved. It really is so, so large.” | He said: “The sad reality, the number of patients who come to emergency department who are offered counselling, still they say no. They don’t even want the police involved. It really is so, so large.” |
| Morrison also said Australia was at a “tipping point” for having a national conversation about diversity. | Morrison also said Australia was at a “tipping point” for having a national conversation about diversity. |
| He told the panel: “Diversity is about encouraging diversity of thinking …conversations in the country, conversations in the workplace, conversation in the family that we haven’t had in this country to a great extent before.” | He told the panel: “Diversity is about encouraging diversity of thinking …conversations in the country, conversations in the workplace, conversation in the family that we haven’t had in this country to a great extent before.” |
| Younes, who helped to set up the not-for-profit Welcome to Australia to embrace multiculturalism, said it was important for women and people from minority backgrounds to be given the opportunity to take up platforms to help effect change. | Younes, who helped to set up the not-for-profit Welcome to Australia to embrace multiculturalism, said it was important for women and people from minority backgrounds to be given the opportunity to take up platforms to help effect change. |
| "In health, we don't have labels...you are a human being in need" says Gordian Fulde #QandA https://t.co/a4W2cge0Ri | "In health, we don't have labels...you are a human being in need" says Gordian Fulde #QandA https://t.co/a4W2cge0Ri |
| Morrison told the panel he was the “most surprised person probably on the planet” when his name was read out as Australian of the Year. His receipt of the award has been questioned, with leading women such as former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick and transgender RAAF officer Catherine McGregor passed over. | Morrison told the panel he was the “most surprised person probably on the planet” when his name was read out as Australian of the Year. His receipt of the award has been questioned, with leading women such as former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick and transgender RAAF officer Catherine McGregor passed over. |
| Grant defended Morrison’s award, saying there had been a “lack of respect” in some of the criticism. | Grant defended Morrison’s award, saying there had been a “lack of respect” in some of the criticism. |
| Grant, whose recent speech on racism in Australia has been widely viewed, spoke at length about the plight of Australia’s Indigenous communities following questions about whether Australia Day should be moved to another day. | Grant, whose recent speech on racism in Australia has been widely viewed, spoke at length about the plight of Australia’s Indigenous communities following questions about whether Australia Day should be moved to another day. |
| Grant said: “What other days are there? Do we celebrate the day of federation? | Grant said: “What other days are there? Do we celebrate the day of federation? |
| “For us as Indigenous people there are many aspects to it. One is to mourn the invasion, to mourn dispossession and the consequences,” he said. “But we need to acknowledge the fact that Australia is a remarkable country … we need to acknowledge that. | “For us as Indigenous people there are many aspects to it. One is to mourn the invasion, to mourn dispossession and the consequences,” he said. “But we need to acknowledge the fact that Australia is a remarkable country … we need to acknowledge that. |
| “But we have not signed a treaty [with Indigenous people] … we are the only Commonwealth government that has not signed a treaty.” | “But we have not signed a treaty [with Indigenous people] … we are the only Commonwealth government that has not signed a treaty.” |
| Manal Younus & Stan Grant believe Australians are more comfortable with white men championing diversity #QandA https://t.co/8lzEYYWvAC | Manal Younus & Stan Grant believe Australians are more comfortable with white men championing diversity #QandA https://t.co/8lzEYYWvAC |
| Morrison also said there was a legitimate argument for moving Australia Day, “when you don’t have the national day of your country being agreed to in terms of the date by all the members of your country”. | Morrison also said there was a legitimate argument for moving Australia Day, “when you don’t have the national day of your country being agreed to in terms of the date by all the members of your country”. |