Article-Budget cuts threaten women’s safety: MLC
Hobart Mercury | 20 April 2026; pg 2.
Budget cuts threaten women’s safety: MLC
Elise Kaine
Wrong decisions in the upcoming state budget could lead to worsening outcomes for women, an independent MLC warned as demonstrators gathered at a rally against gendered violence on the lawns of parliament on Sunday.
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb addressed the No More Violence rally and urged the state government to guarantee adequate resourcing and accessible services in the May State Budget for Tasmanians experiencing gender-based violence.
Ms Webb cited a recent report by Gender Lens Australia which revealed that Tasmania’s 2025-26 budget had one of the lowest funding rates nationally for women, gender equality, and the prevention of gender-based violence related programs, second only to Western Australia.
This reduction is particularly alarming given Tasmania’s rates of domestic, family and sexual violence are higher than the national average.
Ms Webb emphasised that this failure to prioritise proper resourcing has significant and detrimental consequences, not only for specific domestic and family violence services but also for crucial areas such as safe and accessible housing, education, health, economic security, and the overall wellbeing of Tasmanian women and girls.
“Gender-based violence is preventable, but too many Tasmanian women and children face daily barriers to safety, support and justice,” Ms Webb said.
“History tells us in times of budgetary constraints, it is the most vulnerable, including women and girls, who pay the price.”
Gender Lens Australia recommends that all federal, state, and Territory governments annually invest at least 9-12.5 per cent in WGEVP to achieve a reduction in gendered violence. Tasmania currently lags significantly at 0.9 per cent, their report says.
Ms Webb reiterated her call for a rigorous gender budget impact assessment to be included in the State Budget Papers.
She stressed that the community and all state MPs deserve a transparent assessment detailing how funding decisions consider their impact on tackling gender inequalities and gender-based violence.
“Gender-based violence is preventable, but too many Tasmanian women and children face daily barriers to safety, support and justice,” Ms Webb said.
“The Tasmanian government must play its part in dismantling those barriers, but the wrong decisions in the state budget will only make those barriers higher.”
More than 100 people gathered on parliament’s lawns on Sunday as part of a national protest calling for stronger action on gendered violence.
Thousands of Australians have taken to the streets as part of the rallies that are demanding action on domestic violence and support for survivors.
The rallies are organised by What Were You Wearing Australia, a volunteer-run collective committed to amplifying survivor voices, sharing resources, and challenging harmful narratives around sexual violence.
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