With the federal election campaign officially underway, it’s been a busy week for the highly visible independent candidate Deb Leonard.
Independent candidate Deb Leonard has pledge to support Change for Sam and to lobby for better mental health, police and emergency services for the region, as her election campaign ramps up.
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As well as an official campaign launch in Warragul on the weekend, Ms Leonard has released a slew of statements and policy positions, starting with mental health. While she commended the Prime Minister’s announcement of additional investment in Medicare, she said more needed to be done to address mental health needs.
“The Prime Minister’s budget simply does not go far enough in providing the dedicated, specialised mental health support that
communities like ours in Monash are crying out for,” Ms Leonard said.
“Expanding Headspace centres is a positive step, but it does nothing for the many towns across Monash that still have zero Headspace facilities.
“The reality is that the Monash electorate has zero acute mental health beds, zero step up-step down facilities, and un- acceptable wait times for basic psychiatric services. Residents are suffering, families are under strain, and lives are being lost because successive governments have overlooked our mental health needs for too long."
Safety
The independent candidate was also focused on community safety, saying emergency services in the region should be bolstered.
Ms Leonard, a lawyer who has worked in criminal law and family violence for almost 20 years, said she has seen first hand the gaps in the system that are putting communities at risk. Having regularly attended Magistrates Courts Wonthaggi, Korumburra and Latrobe Valley, she understands the challenges facing the local justice system.
"There is only one 24-hour police station serving all of Bass Coast and South Gippsland. poses a significant risk to community safety as response times are slow, and often police units are caught up on other calls when an emergency arises. There are only two patrol cars on at night in these regions.
"This understaffing is not unique to the police force. Many emergency services, including paramedics and fire services, are experiencing the same issues. It's putting our communities at risk." Ms Leonard said.
The high rate of family violence incidents was also a concern.
"Gippsland has some of the highest rates of family violence in the country. It's not good enough."
As well as advocating for an increased police presence, if elected Ms Leonard pledged to work to create improved legal processes that better protect victims of family violence and encourage reporting, while securing better funding for family violence prevention programs.
She said investing in evidence-based youth crime prevention and early intervention programs will be another priority.
"Throughout my career, I've worked with both victims and offenders. I've seen the challenges facing our courts and legal system in towns like Wonthaggi. I understand the complexity of these issues and the importance of both prevention and consequence," Ms Leonard said.
"As your independent representative, I won't be bound by party politics or simplistic 'tough on crime' slogans. I'll focus on practical, evidence-based solutions that make a real difference to safety in our communities."
Change for Sam
Ms Leonard said she also recently met with Change for Sam founded by Lija Matthews following the tragic murder of her close friend, Samantha Fraser, by her ex-husband, Adrian Basham in 2018.
She said Sam's death underscored the urgent need to address the national crisis of gender-based violence, with over 66 women killed by a family member or former partner, in Australia, in 2024 alone.
The personal safety devices supplied by Change for Sam can be worm by a person, and when activated, notifies a security company to check on the user's safety, as well as recording audio.
To make these devices readily available to anyone feeling unsafe, Change for Sam is seeking $2.5 million in federal funding.
Ms Leonard said she strongly believes this is a wise investment that will save countless lives.
"As someone who has working in family violence and criminal law for nearly 20 years, I've witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of violence on our community – on victims and their families," Ms Leonard stated.
She also highlighted the additional benefits of these devices such as the ability to record incidents when activated, which can lead to swifter convictions for perpetrators, reduce trauma for victims and their families, and save time and money in the court system.
"If elected, I will fight to secure funding for these devices, which will not only save lives but also help reduce crime and keep our community safe."
Statistics reveal the alarming prevalence of gendered-based violence, with one in four women experiencing it in their lifetime across Gippsland well above state average.
Ms Leonard pledged to work with state and federal governments to address the issues, drawing on her 20 years of experience in crime and family violence.
"Having also worked with perpetrators, I see the gaps in the system regarding mental health services, drug and alcohol counselling, and anger management programs that often leads to violent behaviour.
"We need to address these factors if we're going to break the cycle of violence."
Change for Sam is holding a Candlelight Vigil at the Jetty Triangle in Cowes on May 7, 6:30pm-8pm, to remember and honour those killed by domestic and family violence.