Indigenous dvocates have raised the alarm after the federal government's rapid review expert panel on family and domestic violence was revealed to not include any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander women.
Dr Hannah McGlade told National Indigenous Times the decision was wrong for a range of reasons.
"According to DSS (Department of Social Services) in senate estimates questioning 'the committee needs to engage with men and boys to change their behaviour'. This is true but Aboriginal women should never be excluded from any expert panel on FDV, and must always be part of the discussion on men's offending," she said.
"Aboriginal women have been leading the movement against FDV for decades, and led the campaign for a separate national action plan on violence to First Nations women, our engagement and our voice must always be respected."
Dr McGlade said excluding Indigenous women from the Expert Panel "doesn't respect the principle of Aboriginal women's rights to self determination and risks neglecting Aboriginal women's knowledge and expertise on violence".
"We have to make sound decisions and get this right, Aboriginal women are a small minority yet vastly over-represented in FDV incidents and homicides, making up about a quarter of all the FDV homicides in Australia, and we need to ensure all responses show best practice for our women and families."
Independent senator David Pocock raised the issue in a recent senate estimates hearing, expressing his surprise at the exclusion of Indigenous women from the panel set up by the federal government under Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Commissioner Micaela Cronin.
The federal government indicated that expert panel was appointed to conduct a rapid review and provide advice to government on how it can strengthen prevention efforts under the National Plan with a focus on stronger consequences and accountability for perpetrators.
Commissioner Cronin said on Tuesday evening in senate estimates that the panel was intended to be a small group that could be brought together quickly and is not a representative group, in recognition that there has already been extensive consultation.
The government has also said the panel will work closely with the existing advisory groups leading important work under the National Plan including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council and the First Nations National Plan Steering Committee.
