Candidates skip march

Groom hopefuls disappoint domestic violence services

QUESTIONS have been raised as to why all but two of the Groom candidates did not show up at the National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day march. Hundreds of residents including student leaders, Toowoomba Region councillors, senior police and community organisations marched down Ruthven Street, calling for action on domestic violence.

QUESTIONS have been raised as to why all but two of the Groom candidates did not show up at the National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day march.

On Thursday afternoon hundreds of residents including student leaders, Toowoomba Region councillors, senior police and community organisations marched down Ruthven Street, calling for action on domestic violence.

Sadly, one in six women have experienced violence at the hands of their partner while one in five woman has been sexually abused.

About one third of people living on the street say they are homeless because they are fleeing a violent partner, while nine Australian children have been killed by their parents in the past four months.

Rally organiser and Domestic Violence Action Centre manager Kath Turley said the candidates had been silent on domestic violence despite ris“This ing rates of offending.

“As a sector we are absolutely under-resourced around the support services for victims, survivors and for perpetrators,” she said.

“If we are serious about tackling domestic violence we need to look at what drives it.

“We need to look at prevention and that means getting into the schools and getting resources for businesses so they can support staff who are victims or perpetrators.

is an issue that affects the whole community.”

ALP candidate Gen Allpass and independent Suzie Holt were the only Groom candidates to support the march.

The Chronicle contacted every candidate and asked why they did not attend.

A spokeswoman for Groom MP Garth Hamilton said he had been unavailable.

Independent Kirstie Smolenski said she “wasn’t informed” but worked with a DV refuge and would have thought twice about using the march as a campaign opportunity. One Nation candidate Grant Abraham said he had work commitments.

UAP candidate Melissa Bannister said there was a “scheduling issue” that prevented her from attending while Greens candidate Mickey Berry said they weren’t aware it was on.

The remaining candidates did not respond in time.

MANY HANDS: Centenary Heights State High School students (from left) Tirth Panchal, Ryan Maynard, Dylan Hickey, Amy Skerman, Erica Wilson, Mia Jago, Ryleigh Parsons and Helen Jukuda, at the Toowoomba Domestic Violence Remembrance Ceremony and Walk.