SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER
MINISTER FINANCE
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE
MINISTER FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
TV INTERVIEW
ABC NEWS BREAKFAST
TUESDAY, 22 APRIL 2025
SUBJECTS: Pope Francis; Women’s safety.
BRIDGET BRENNAN, HOST: It's time now to speak to the Minister for Women in Finance, Katy Gallagher who joins us now from Melbourne. Good morning to you, Katy Gallagher. It's a sombre day for Australian Catholics. How do you reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis?
KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE, WOMEN, THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES, LABOR CAMPAIGN SPOKESPERSON: So, as you say, Bridget – thanks for having me on – but also a really sad day for Australian Catholics and indeed Catholics around the world. I think the passing of Pope Francis last night our time would've deeply affected millions of people, if not billions around the world. And today really is an opportunity to reflect and remember what a significant leader of the Catholic Church that he was in his twelve years as Pope.
BRENNAN: Could you give us some insight into the Prime Minister's movements today? He seemed quite personally affected by the death of the Pope. We understand he'll attend a service there in Melbourne this morning. What will be his movements today and how will the death of the Pope affect the campaign today as well?
GALLAGHER: Look, I had the opportunity to speak with the PM last night, and as you say, he was deeply affected by the Pope's passing. He attended the cathedral last night after making some comments to the media and he's attending mass as we speak. As someone who was born as a Catholic and raised and went to school with a Catholic school, it's been a deep part of his upbringing. So, as you would expect, he's affected just like many millions of others are. Look, today, I mean his plans have changed. I mean, he won't be doing the events that he had originally planned. But some events will go on, but obviously it will be, I think, toned down, I guess, and respectful of the fact that we have lost a significant world leader overnight.
BRENNAN: And will the Prime Minister consider attending the Pope's funeral or will the Australian Government send a representative, do you think? We understand that could be as soon as Saturday.
GALLAGHER: Yeah, look, I think those arrangements obviously will be worked out. I mean, the immediate response has been to pause and to pay respect to the passing of Pope Francis, but, as you would expect, those arrangements will be made and it is appropriate that an Australian representative attend. But there will be decisions down the track a little later today.
BRENNAN: Alright. I'll just bring you back to some of the major issues on the campaign if I can while we have you. Look, you're giving a major speech on women's safety today. Such an important issue for so many Australian families. Why do you think domestic and family violence has barely featured in this campaign?
GALLAGHER: Well, Bridget, I think certainly for me, it's a big feature of all the work I do and all the work the Labor government has done. But I am giving a speech today and we are launching Labor's women's policy of which you would expect a large part of that will have a focus on women's safety. And I mean, it remains, the biggest barrier to gender equality in this country is the number of women who are murdered or beaten up or hospitalised or traumatised from men's violence against women. And we've lent into this this term, we are going to continue under a second term to make sure that we can do everything we can to change that. But it is complex and it requires a whole of community effort. This isn't something the government can solve on its own, although we are absolutely committed to continuing to drive for change and to make sure that women and the girls that come after me and you don't live in a world where they fear for their safety.
BRENNAN: When you say you're going to speak more in detail about your commitments if you were to win a second term, does that include more money? Because we're hearing from people on the frontline that they're turning away thousands of women?
GALLAGHER: Well, it's about bringing all our policies together for a focus on women. And this is, I think, something that separates us from the Coalition. I mean, we've funded more money into frontline services, more money into community legal services so they actually have continuity of funding. But it's also making sure our housing policy is delivering housing for women. That our wages policy is making sure women are earning more, that our health policy is dealing with all of the barriers to healthcare that women face because all of these are interconnected. And if we can make sure women are able to live healthy lives and work in good jobs and earn good incomes and have a home over their head, then that also impacts on the level of their own safety and their own independence. So, for us, this is a whole of government effort, but you'll expect that we would have more to say about the next steps that we think we can take that will change things for women and keep them safer in our community.
BRENNAN: And the national plan specifies a 25 per cent annual reduction in the reduction in female victims of intimate partner homicide. Is that happening? And would you expect if you won a second term, that you would see the homicide rate of women killed by former and current partners fall?
GALLAGHER: Well, that is the overall aim of the national plan. One, to see those rates fall, the homicide rates fall, but also that we end violence against women and children in a generation. That is what all governments around Australia have signed up to. And of course we want to see less women murdered. I mean, it breaks my heart and I know so many others around the country when we go online or open a newspaper and see yet another report of a woman who has lost her life to violence, often from an intimate partner or former partner. So, yes, we want to see that continue to fall and we will absolutely do everything we can to make sure that we are responding, not just through resources for the police, new ways of assessing high risk perpetrators, but also making sure that women have the supports that they need if they need to leave a violent relationship. And when they do that, that they are protected.
BRENNAN: Okay. Katy Gallagher, thanks very much for your time this morning.
ENDS
