Ley laments domestic killings as 74 women dead in 2025

It took almost three minutes for the opposition leader to read out the names of the 74 Australian women killed in domestic violence attacks so far in 2025, up from 60 in the previous year.

Liberal leader Sussan Ley continued her tradition of honouring each woman in a powerful statement in parliament on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

"We don't need new horrors to remind us here today that violence against women is pervasive and present in every corners of our country," Ms Ley said.

"These women have stories. These women have names. We must not ever forget them."

As part of her impassioned plea for further action, Ms Ley urged parliamentarians to imagine 74 women standing in the room with them.

"Can we imagine what the response would be if 74 Australians were killed on a single day at a single event?" Ms Ley said.

"It wouldn't just be me reading out their names. Our nightly news would have them emblazoned across news packages.

"Their names would be etched into marble and memorialised and, year after year, we would reflect on the loss."

Their names were lost amid the noise, Ms Ley said, often only spoken soon after their death in a "glaring moment of national attention".

Labor MP Ali France recounted a recent story of a single mother in her electorate experiencing homelessness after suffering violence.

"Lauren's ordeal began in 2015 when her partner harmed her baby at just three months old. He was charged and incarcerated, but that was only the beginning," Ms France said.

"After that, Lauren endured further violence and coercion from another partner.

"Her child was placed into care at one point (and) that abusive partner took out a domestic violence order against her, a move that prevented her from completing her nursing degree."

Ms France said there were thousands of women in similar situations.

Labor made the $5000 leaving violence payment permanent, and legislated 10 days of domestic violence leave, Ms France added, but said there was more to do.

"We know this because women are still dying," she said.

"We're committed to making changes to prevent perpetrators from using the tax and social security system as coercive control or financial abuse."

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN WHO DIED DUE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN 2025:

* Sandra Dobrila

* Yuko

* Heang Kim Gau

* Pauline Slater

* Charlyze Hayter

* Zhuojun (Sally) Li

* Khouloud Hawatt

* Chloe Jade Mason

* Kristy Louise Hunter

* Yvonne Beres

* Ms Multa

* Katie Tangey

* Merril Kelly

* Lilian Catherine Donnelly

* Rachel McKenna

* Rachel Moresi

* Justine Hammond

* Elizabeth Pearce

* Kara Jade Weribone

* Crystal Beale

* Audrey Griffin

* Irene Herzel

* Cecilia Webb

* Czarina Gatbonton Tumaliuan

* Louise Hunt

* Claire Austin

* Thi Kim Tran

* Jocelyn Grace Mollee

* Kylie Sanders

* Kim Duncan

* Talulah Koopman

* Samia Malik

* Caroline (Carlee) Smith

* Muzhdah Habibi

* Lauren Hopkins

* Norma Diana Dutton

* Krystel Paul

* Phoebe Bishop

* Leanne Akrap

* Julia Neira Marican

* Angela Gauld

* Sally Bartlett

* Shelley Spinks

* Jeanette McIver

* Amanda Rahan

* Shafeeqa Husseini

* Zoe Walker

* Athena Georgopoulos and her unborn child

* Summer Fleming

* Anu

* Ali Lauren

* Carra Samantha Luke

* Diane Harness

* Ashleigh Grice

* Carolyn Campbell

* Ms Chainsaw

* Rajwinder Kaur

* Jordana Johnson

* Lisa Ward

* Rhukaya Lake

* Irene Selmes

* Marcia Chalmers

* Twelve unnamed women

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