00:00Domestic and family violence is the major cause for women who are experiencing homelessness
00:09across New South Wales and we want to ensure that women and children who are experiencing
00:14homelessness in New South Wales are supported as well as they possibly can, that they have
00:20a safe place to go to when they ultimately choose to leave a family violence relationship,
00:28which is why today I'm incredibly pleased to be announcing the opening of the new Cora
00:36and Cluster Refuge that the New South Wales Government has partnered with, with Women's
00:43Shelters Ardale.
00:44This is part of the pilots for the Cora and Cluster project that has been rolled out across
00:51New South Wales.
00:52The total cost of the Cora and Cluster projects is $426.6 million and at the end of the rollout
01:02of the Cora and Cluster projects across New South Wales, we'll be supporting an additional
01:072,900 women each and every year.
01:11Women's Shelters Ardale has a deep and nuanced understanding of domestic violence, having
01:17been on the front line of delivering services here for over 40 years.
01:24And what we know is that people often want to tell women to just leave their abuser.
01:31We know that evidence tells us that that is the most dangerous time for her, is when she
01:38is considering and making a move.
01:41We also know that just leaving creates a whole new wave of stresses, a whole new wave of
01:48problems that really threaten to become overwhelming for most women and an alarming number of women
01:55will stay with an abusive partner because it is too overwhelming to leave.
02:00What we have received here from the State Government today is a facility that this service
02:07can make it possible for more women to be able to leave an abusive relationship without
02:15all those added stresses and without being overwhelmed by a lack of facilities, a lack
02:21of a private space, a lack of a respectful place to be while they rethink and come up
02:28with a reimagined, can't speak today, while they rethink and reimagine what life might
02:35look like after an abusive relationship.
02:38So we are super excited to have this facility where we can continue to deliver the services
02:44that our community is using.
02:47Look, I think one of the great things about today is what we are seeing is the bipartisan
02:57approach that the Government can take.
02:59So this facility here was announced back in 2021 by the previous Coalition Government
03:05and it's being delivered by the current State Government.
03:08So on certain occasions both sides of politics can come together and that's what we've seen
03:14today and I think it's a great result.
03:15I'd like to thank the Minister for making the journey up here and also really acknowledge
03:20Penny and her team for the wonderful work that they do to make the most vulnerable in
03:25our community safer.
03:26But back to why we're here today.
03:29It's that State Government funding that's enabled this fantastic facility to be opened
03:34and without that we'd all be poorer for it.
03:37But I'm particularly thrilled that Armadale was chosen as one of the pilot sites.
03:44This new facility is absolutely fantastic.
03:46It's sorely needed and I have no doubt that it's down to Penny and her team that have
03:52made us an attractive place to run one of those pilots.
03:55So well done all.
03:57Thank you to the Minister and that's it.
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