“We must bear witness to the suffering of these women, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us. They must not be forgotten and their suffering must not be ignored. It must compel us to action...” (Elisabeth Armitage, NT Coroner)
YWCA Australia has been deeply moved by the final report on Inquests into the of Miss Yunupiŋu, Ngeygo Ragurrk, Kumarn Rubuntja and Kumanjayi Haywood handed down on 25 November 2024. We pay our condolences to the families and communities who continue to grieve and suffer the loss of their loved ones.
YWCA Australia thanks the Coroner for shedding light on what YWCA know first-hand is a crisis of epidemic proportion affecting our community.
Michelle Phillips, Group CEO YWCA Australia, stated that while the findings in this significant report will be shocking to many, they are not to those of us working on the front line of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence (DFSV) Services.
“This report is a call to action,” says Ms Phillips.
“We support all 35 recommendations included in the report and stand with the Coroner, and alongside our colleagues in the DFSV and community services sector in condemning all gender-based violence, especially violence against Aboriginal women.”
This issue calls for bi-partisan support in the Northern Territory and the YWCA will continue to work constructively with all parties to implement the changes.
YWCA Australia call on the Northern Territory Government to continue the work of the DFSV Reduction Framework 2018 – 2028, and to fund the Action Plan 2 in full.
YWCA welcome the 180 million funding commitment from the Northern Territory Government for Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence services, as an urgent and necessary first step. However, this funding should be considered a minimum and does not account for inflation. We add our support to the Coroner’s recommendation of a further 10% uplift for frontline services and that funding indexation is commensurate with real cost of living increases.
YWCA also support the call for a Territory based Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence peak body as an essential step towards progress.
YWCA acknowledges that to achieve real change, the Northern Territory Government cannot do this alone. It requires the support and a needs-based funding commitment from the Federal Government. We therefore call on the Federal Government to shift their funding approach to the Northern Territory so that they fund based on need, not population and to stand with us to protect Territory women and children.
Rachael Uebergang, Regional Manager Northern Territory YWCA Australia is calling for support across Australia to address this issue.
“We need the nation to support us on this and to acknowledge the unique challenges we face. We must stop the minimising of violence against Aboriginal women,” says Ms Uebergang.
“The time for looking the other way has to end and the time for action is now.”
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