The Premier's Council on Preventing Violence Against Women

The Premier’s Council on Preventing Violence Against Women has 12 members and is chaired by the Minister for Women, the Hon Verity Firth MP.  The Council reports directly to the Premier on issues that relate to the prevention of violence against women.

Dr Lesley Laing, a well known advocate and academic, who has published widely on domestic and family violence, is the Council’s Deputy Chair.

Members have been appointed for a two year term and will meet quarterly. The Council’s initial focus will be on domestic and family violence. 

As part of the NSW Government’s commitment to an improved approach to domestic and family violence, a state wide strategic framework is being developed to increase coordination across government services to ensure women experiencing violence receive the best possible service response.

The Council’s first task will be to provide advice on the development of this framework.

Council Members

Dr Lesley Laing (Deputy Chair) is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Policy Studies at the University of Sydney. Lesley has a long working background as a social worker in community health, child and family mental health and child protection services.

In her former role as Director of the Education Centre Against Violence, Lesley was responsible for the development of state-wide training programs for health workers responding to adult and child sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse and neglect. In 2000, she established the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse at the University of New South Wales. She has published extensively on violence against women and children.

Elizabeth (Libby) Carney is based in Far Western NSWand has significant experience working with Aboriginal women and communities on domestic and family violence issues.  Libby has developed and delivered a number of anti-violence education and training workshops to Aboriginal communities and incarcerated men.  Libby has worked extensively within Aboriginal community structures including current initiatives in Aboriginal affairs such as the Bourke Crime Prevention plan and the Bourke Aboriginal Community Action Plan. 

Denele Crozier is the Executive Officer of Women’s Health NSW, the peak body for 24 non‑government Women’s Health Centres in NSW and has extensive experience in women’s issues and promoting a women’s social view of health.  Denele is a member of the Australian Women’s Health Network and is a Board Member of NCOSS.

Catherine Gander is the Executive Officer of the Women's Refuge Movement Resource Centre which represents 53 refuges for women and children escaping domestic violence.  Catherine has 20 years experience working in and developing a range of services that respond to women and children experiencing domestic violence.

Catherine was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate interventions that reduce the short and long term effects of domestic violence on children and has used her findings to influence the development of laws and policies that increase the protection and support of children experiencing domestic violence.

Catherine is also the NSW delegate to Australia’s national domestic violence peak body (Women’s Services Network).

Betty Green has over 20 years experience working on issues related to women’s health and domestic violence.  Betty was a key lobbyist for the establishment of the Bankstown Local Court Support Scheme.  Betty has worked on a number of public education campaigns including ‘Building Respectful Relationships’ and the ‘Drink Coaster Anti-violence Project’. In 2006 Betty established the NSW Domestic Violence Committee Coalition to advocate for women experiencing violence.

Tamahra Manson is based on the mid North Coast of NSW and works as a Sexual Assault Counsellor with the Richmond Sexual Assault Service.   She has experience working in both urban and regional NSW, with Aboriginal women and women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds on issues related to violence against women.

Tamahra has worked in both service provision and policy roles in NSW Health and NSW Police in the areas of sexual assault, domestic violence and child protection.

Dr Eman Sharobeen has worked on women’s issues, at the international, national and state level for over 20 years.  While working in the United Nations, Eman was involved in international processes to establish the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) agreement in Australia and the Middle East

In her current role as Manager of the Immigrant Women’s Health Service, Eman works to provide health, housing and domestic violence services to migrant and refugee women and is an advocate for women’ s rights.

Leela Smith has worked on a number of projects for the NSW Police Force to develop policies and programs to address issues relating to domestic and family violence and in particular, violence against women in ethnic minorities. Leela initiated a Joint Taskforce with the Office on Ageing on the abuse of older people and has a particular interest in issues affecting older women experiencing violence.

Charmaigne Weldon has worked in the women’s refuge movement for a number of years and has particular experience providing services to women who have experienced domestic and family violence.  Charmaigne is currently a member of the board of Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Resource Centre.

Karen Willis has thirty years experience working on issues related to domestic violence and sexual violence, in both prevention and service provision. Karen has represented the NSW Rape Crisis Centre on a number of sexual assault prevention research projects with the Australian Research Council and the University of NSW and University of Western Sydney.

In 2005 Karen was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to review the Management of Complaints of Sexual Assault in the Criminal Justice Systems and Support Services for Victims in South Africa, the United States of America and Canada.

Louise Blazejowska has been working for many years to prevent violence against women and has had a strong involvement with Aboriginal women’s issues.  Louise has been an effective advocate for the establishment of the state wide network of Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services.

Louise has worked with the Aboriginal Legal Service to improve responses to Aboriginal women and children in need of protection from domestic and family violence and is currently working on a strategy to improve access to legal aid service for people in domestic violence situations.