The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (10:05): I move:

(1)That this House notes that on 25 September 2024 the Hon. Aileen MacDonald, OAM, MLC, co-hosted an event in the New South Wales Parliament for the Parliamentary Friends of Empowering Older Women.

(2)That this House supports the group and recognises the importance and relevance of older women as decision-makers and valued members of society.

(3)That this House notes this parliamentary friends group was created to promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women.

(4)That this House congratulates Parliamentary Friends of Empowering Older Women on holding the event and recognises the two special guest speakers.

(5)That this House notes Catherine Fitzpatrick, founder and director of Flequity Ventures, addressed the group on her mission to disrupt financial abuse and gender bias towards women.

(6)That this House further notes that Rebecca Glenn, founder and CEO of the Centre for Women's Economic Safety, addressed the group on economic safety to support women experiencing economic abuse in the context of domestic and family violence.

(7)That this House acknowledges the bipartisan spirit of the event which was attended by:

(a)Trish Doyle, Labor Party;

(b)Jodie Harrison, Labor Party;

(c)Sonia Hornery, Labor Party;

(d)Tim James, Liberal Party;

(e)Jenny Leong, The Greens;

(f)Natasha Maclaren-Jones, Liberal Party;

(g)Joe McGirr, Independent;

(h)Rachel Merton, Liberal Party;

(i)Geoff Provest, The Nationals;

(j)Janelle Saffin, Labor Party;

(k)Tamara Smith, The Greens;

(l)Maryanne Stuart, Labor Party; and

(m)Leslie Williams, Liberal Party.

(8)That this House acknowledges that women in regional and rural New South Wales are more likely than women in urban areas to experience domestic and family violence.

(9)That this House addresses the fact that the stigma and shame attached to domestic and family violence leads to a lack of perpetrator accountability which deters women from seeking help.

(10)That this House notes a lack of privacy in regional and rural New South Wales leads to the high likelihood that police, health professionals, and domestic and family violence workers who know both the victim and perpetrator can inhibit women's willingness to use local services.

Motion agreed to.