I'm proud to be here with women, men, boys and girls saying - We want violence against women and children to stop.
To be clear, we did ask to speak, myself and Katy, and were told that that wasn't possible and that's fine. I respect the organisers’ right to do that.
We are here today to demand that governments of all levels must do better, including my own, including every state and territory government.
We're here as well to say that society, and Australia, must do better.
We need to change the culture. We need to change attitudes. We need to change the legal system. We need to change the approach by all governments - because it's not enough to support victims.
We need to focus on the perpetrators and focus on prevention.
On Wednesday morning, I will convene a National Cabinet. It has been agreed with every Premier and Chief Minister.
We'll talk about what we can do, including as part of the national plan to end violence against women and children, where in the first two budgets, we've added $2.3 billion.
In the time that we have been in Government, we've allocated funding for 500 domestic violence workers. We now have 10 days paid domestic violence leave. I agree it's not enough. I said that. We need to do more.
We have an escaping violence payment. And we have access to housing through the Housing Australia Future Fund. We do have funding for training for frontline workers, $50 million that we put in the last Budget.
So, I will see if the Minister for the Status of Women, Katy Gallagher, a proud ACT Senator as well, will want to say some things. But I say this.
I know. And that's why I'm here.
That's why I'm here.
I know that we all must do better.
But I know this as well. And I've got to be honest.
It's not just governments' problem. It's a problem of our entire society.
And this is a national crisis.
And the reason why there's a disagreement with some of the language re emergency, is emergency is something that we use when there's a flood or bushfires, where things kick in for one month or two months of funding.
We don't need one month or two months. We need to address this in a serious way.
Week by week. Month by month. Year by year.
And we need to make sure that this isn't just up to women. It's up to men to change men's behaviour as well.
And yes, people do need to be made accountable. And I'll be accountable for what my Government does. Just as I'm accountable for delivering on all of the Jenkins Report. I'm accountable for delivering the first ever paid domestic and family violence leave. I'm accountable for delivering 500 extra community workers in order to address this crisis.
But I want us to work together.
I want us to work together as a society to build a better Australia.
Because an Australia where women and children are safe, is a better Australia for women, for children and for men.
Thanks very much.