Greens launch womens policy

Greens launch womens policy - Maternity leave, childcare and domestic violence

Launching the Greens womens policy today, Greens MP and Upper House candidate Lee Rhiannon called for 18 weeks paid maternity leave, free universal pre-school and increased funding to stem domestic violence.

"The Greens are calling for 18 weeks publicly funded maternity leave and for free pre-school to ease the pressures on women in NSW", said Ms Rhiannon.

"The Carr government abolished the Department of Women and women's services in NSW are now suffering death by a thousand cuts.

"You need a magnifying glass and a packed lunch to find any references to women in Premier Iemma's State Plan. In the entire 182 pages, the word 'women' is only mentioned once.

"There is a childcare crisis in NSW and many women are locked out of the workforce. Kids will have wrinkles and a walking stick by the time they get into care.

"The Greens want to see every child in NSW receive two years of universal, free pre-school.

"The Greens are also committed to hold the government to account on domestic violence.

"1 in 3 women experience physical violence in their lives and the Ombudsman found that reports of domestic violence have increased by more than 50% between 1997 – 2004.

"Iemma's knee-jerk plan to name and shame perpetrators was panned by women's groups. The Greens want to ensure that each local area police station in NSW has a full-time Domestic Violence Liaison Officer", said Ms Rhiannon.

The Greens initiatives on women include:

· Ensuring a minimum of 18 weeks of publicly funded paid maternity
leave for all women with benefits (such as superannuation) accrued during
that time.

· Funding two days per week of free pre-school for every child in
NSW, fast-track the building of new child care facilities in areas of need
and require that every new public school includes a community-based
preschool and long day care centre.

· Reinstating the Department of Women, abolished by Labor in 2004.

· Establishing a Domestic Violence Unit in the NSW Police and ensure
each local area station has a minimum of one full-time Domestic Violence
Liaison Officer; make domestic violence training a compulsory unit in all
student police training and provide education program from early primary
school on non-violent conflict resolution.

· Increasing funding for community-based women's health services and
for secure emergency housing.