Albo’s plea over ‘human tragedies’

Anthony Albanese has declared violence against women to be “far too prevalent” in Australia as police continue investigations into the motivations of the Bondi attacker.

Police said on Monday that Joel Cauchi, who fatally stabbed six people, including five women, at Sydney’s Bondi shopping centre on Saturday may have been targeting women during his rampage.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said about eight of the twelve people injured were women and whether the attacker’s motive was driven by gender was an “obvious line of inquiry”

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Albanese said in the wake of the devastating attack it was clear rates of violence against women across the country were far too high.

“What we know is that violence against women is far too prevalent. It too often occurs from a partner or a family member and we know that the statistic of a woman on average dying every week due to violence from a partner or someone they know, it doesn’t tell the story,” Mr Albanese said.

“Numbers don’t tell stories. These are human tragedies, as well, violence has an impact on children who witness it in the home, and we need to do more to combat violence against women.

Mr Albanese pointed to rallies held in the regional Victorian town of Ballarat last week, mourning the loss of three women from the area who were allegedly killed by male perpetrators in the past two months.

He said local communities had “had enough” and vowed keep reducing rates of violence against women and children at the top of the national agenda.

“My government is committed to doing that and I know the state and territory governments are committed to doing that,” he said.

According to the research group Counting Dead Women Australia, 24 women have been killed in violent incidents since the start of 2024.

In a speech to a Family Violence Symposium in Melbourne on Friday, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said perpetrators of domestic and family violence needed to be held to greater account.

Mr Dreyfus said the “shocking acts of violence” seen over recent months show that not enough has been done to protect women and children in Australia.

“Police investigations and judicial processes must be allowed to run their course without interference. But, we must acknowledge the devastating consequences of this violence and the deep distress being felt in our community right now,” he said.

“One death of a woman at the hands of a man is one too many. One death a week is an epidemic. It must end.”