Member for Maitland

Shadow Minister for Primary Industries

Investment and Tourism

Medical Research

Jenny Aitchison MP

Latest News

MEDIA RELEASE - All women deserve dignity

Aug 8, 2019

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL 2019 - Consideration in detail

I speak against the amendment. As former shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, I read the case of the only woman in recent memory—in 2017—to have been convicted under the Crimes Act. From my experience of listening to women who have been exposed and experienced domestic and family violence, that case screamed to me that that is what it was. It was not enough to prevent her from being charged. I agree with the member for Newtown that scree

Jun 19, 2019

IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE FOR GOVT HANDLING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRISIS

The NSW Labor Opposition has rejected excuses from the Premier that she and her office did not know that three frontline women's domestic violence services had their funding slashed in Tuesday’s budget. The Minister for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Attorney General today committed to reverse the Berejiklian Government’s funding cuts to the Sydney Women’s Counselling Service, Penrith Women’s Health Centre and Cumberland Women’s Health Centre after these cuts were brough

Jun 17, 2019

BEREJIKLIAN BUDGET IGNORES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRISIS IN NSW

The NSW Labor Opposition has challenged the Liberal and National Government to outline any additional funding to combat domestic violence in Tuesday’s State Budget at the same time as services are being informed that their funding is due to end. Funding for the prevention of domestic violence has moved across four main portfolios over the last four budgets, and is generally spread across a number of portfolios, so funding for the sector is always unclear. Labor had promised t

Jun 6, 2019

BEREJIKLIAN GOVT FAILING TO STOP THE VIOLENCE

Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jenny Aitchison, has condemned the NSW Government for damning figures showing their failure to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. The latest BOCSAR Quarterly Update reveals that in the two years to March 2019:  Domestic assault increased by 6 per cent  Indecent assault and other sexual offences increased by 5.8 per cent  Stalking, intimidation and harassment increased by 3.5 per cent  B

AITCHISON SHARES THE DIGNITY IN MAITLAND

Apr 2, 2019

AITCHISON SHARES THE DIGNITY IN MAITLAND

Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison MP is again proudly supporting the Share the Dignity Drive, an initiative to ensure all women have access to basic sanitary items. Every day, there are homeless women and victims of family violence who cannot afford to purchase essential sanitary products like tampons and pads. The Dignity Drive occurs in April and August each year. During the Drive people are encouraged to purchase sanitary products and donate them to a collection point. M

Apr 24, 2018

PREMIER FAILS TO PRIORITISE PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jenny Aitchison has condemned the Berejiklian Government’s failure to implement effective rehabilitation programs for domestic violence perpetrators. A report released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has analysed the impact that the NSW Government’s DVEQUIPS program has had on the rate of re-offending committed by domestic violence perpetrators. The report shows that just over one-third

Sep 8, 2017

NSW GOVERNMENT FAILS ITS OWN EMPLOYEES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE

The Berejiklian Government has refused to commit to expanding existing paid domestic violence entitlements to 10 days for all NSW Public Servants, and admitted that not all public servants are eligible for the leave. While Minister Goward said the Government “absolutely” accepted that there is a role for employers to provide women escaping domestic violence with access to DV leave for counselling and court appearances, she refused to give a clear commitment to advocate for an

Aug 30, 2017

1800RESPECT TO LOSE EXPERT TRAUMA COUNSELLORS

Today Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia (RDVSA), which has been providing trauma counselling to 1800RESPECT clients since its inception, has decided to withdraw from the 1800RESPECT Trauma Counselling Service. We are advised that RDVSA made the decision to withdraw after considerable negotiations with Medibank Health Solutions. RDVSA has said that this decision was not made lightly, especially given that many experienced and highly qualified trauma counsellors wil

COMMUNITY RECOGNITION STATEMENT - University Students Sexual Assault and Harassment

Jul 26, 2017

PETITION LAUNCHED TO STOP CCADVICE SACKINGS

Labor has joined with local public servants to petition the Government to save a vital specialist domestic and family violence case management and referral service co-located with Central Coast police. Labor’s Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jenny Aitchison joined local state MPs Liesl Tesch (Gosford), David Mehan (The Entrance) and David Harris (Gosford) to meet with Public Service Association members on Wednesday to launch a petit

Feb 1, 2017

MEDIA RELEASE - Petition to restore funding for Tweed Valley Women's service to go to NSW State

Local MP Justine Elliot and representatives from the Tweed Valley Women’s Service today handed over a petition with more than 10,000 signatures calling on the NSW State Government to restore funding to the Tweed Valley Women’s Service. The petition was presented to Jenny Aitchison, Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault who will now lodge it for debate in the NSW State Parliament. “I launched this petition in January 2016 after the Tweed Va

Dec 3, 2016

MEDIA RELEASE - No excuse for breaches with new ADVOs

The NSW Opposition welcomes the new plain English Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs) being rolled out across the state today (Saturday, 3 December 2016). ADVOs are powerful tools, but must be easily accessible and understood to ensure they are effective. If ADVOs are written in clear and simple language, there will be no excuse for perpetrators breaching them. Whilst this is a positive step in the right direction from the Baird Government they must commit more resou

Dec 1, 2016

MEDIA RELEASE - Overwhelming community support for 'It's in the bag' campaign

Member for Maitland and Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jenny Aitchison, is overwhelmed by the local community support shown to Share the Dignity’s Christmas campaign ‘It’s in the Bag’. ‘It’s in the Bag’ is an initiative that encourages people to fill an old handbag they have at home with sanitary, beauty and hygiene products to be handed out as a special gift to local women in need this Christmas. Reports suggest increased alcohol

Oct 26, 2016

MEDIA RELEASE: Roundtable to tackle Domestic Violence

Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jenny Aitchison, will be hosting a domestic violence roundtable in Broken Hill this Friday, 28 October, as part of her state-wide consultation process. It is clear there needs to be a more strategic approach to ending violence in the home with more emphasis on prevention, early intervention and specialist frontline services for victims, that is informed by the many community and non-government organis

Aug 30, 2016

MEDIA RELEASE: Minister passes the buck on domestic violence beds

The Minister responsible for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in NSW has continued to pass the buck on her responsibility to provide adequate places in refuges for women fleeing domestic violence. Today in Budget Estimates hearings Pru Goward was unable to answer questions on the effect of the Baird Government’s 2014 reforms, and consequent bed reductions, in her own electorate of Goulburn. Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexu

Fighting domestic violence in Maitland

Aug 11, 2016

Fighting domestic violence in Maitland

The Maitland community is coming together saying "enough is enough". We need to unite to say no to domestic violence. I congratulate Craig McGregor, president of the Maitland Business Chamber, Mark Jennings, chief executive officer of Jennings Print, Norm Burton of Maitland Toyota, Deepak Chand and the Fijian and Indian community for their generous efforts to help this cause. I congratulate the presidents of the various sporting teams—the Mustangs, The Blacks, Pickers, Magpie

Funding for women's refuges

Aug 11, 2016

Funding for women's refuges

First, I congratulate the member for Blue Mountains for her extensive work in the area of domestic violence. From her first speech in this place she has worked diligently and effectively in raising awareness and calling for more action from the Baird-Grant Government on this issue. She has worked on it as a community advocate, a member of Parliament and also in her capacity as the Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Friends for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Ass

Aug 5, 2016

MEDIA RELEASE: Frontline domestic violence services restored under community pressure

The NSW Opposition is pleased the Government has the re-instated crucial funding to Penrith Women’s Health Centre for domestic violence caseworkers and counsellors working in early intervention, after significant pressure by Labor MPs. Jenny Aitchison, Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and Sophie Cotsis, Shadow Minister for Women, along with Prue Car MP, Trish Doyle MP and newly-elected Federal Member for Lindsay, Emma Husar MP visited

Domestic Violence

Aug 3, 2016

Domestic Violence

Earlier this month I visited the Penrith Women's Health Centre with my parliamentary colleagues the Hon. Sophie Cotsis, MLC, and shadow Minister for Women, the member for Blue Mountains and the member for Londonderry, and the newly elected Federal member for Lindsay. The Penrith Women's Health Centre is one of three services that lost a total of $250,000 in funding for domestic violence counsellors and caseworkers on 30 June this year. They were funded under the Labor Governm

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