More access to domestic and family violence services in communities and housing for victims are key priorities for the Greens in regional NSW.
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Greens candidate for the NSW Senate Dr Amanda Cohn was with the party's Parkes candidate Trish Frail in Dubbo on Friday.
As a general practitioner based in Albury, Dr Cohn was in town to support Ms Frail's campaign, both calling for better health and support services for women in rural and regional NSW.
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Domestic and family violence is high on the agenda, with Brewarrina-based Ms Frail believing a lot more needs to be done to protect and support victims.
Given the size of the electorate, she said it was fundamental the most vulnerable had access to support services and housing within their community.
"The government has services that are 9am to 5pm, but domestic and family violence happen after those hours," Ms Frail said.
"And if you're a victim and you've just been bashed you've got nowhere to go ... there's not enough housing out here.
"A lot of times victims then have to move out of their own community, and they move out for a little while, but then they miss their family, they miss their friends therefore they go back to that community.
"But often they also need accommodation so they end up going back to their partner, so we really need to address those issues."
Dr Cohn said domestic and family violence was a national crisis, highlighting one woman in Australia is killed every week by a current or former partner.
The Greens, she says, would aim to restore funding given to family and domestic violence services, that was previously cut by the coalition government.
They also plan, if elected, to fund the rollout of the respectful relationships program to all schools to prevent violence in the next generation.
"Both the Liberal/National and Labor parties aren't treating this issue with the seriousness that it deserves," Dr Cohn said.
"We particularly need those services to outreach into all rural and regional communities.
"Because for someone whose in a difficult situation, for example someone who relies on their partner for access to transport, can't necessarily transport into a big regional centre to access services."
In addition, they pledge to build one million new homes for the purpose of public and social housing - a key motivator behind victims staying in unsafe situations.
Dr Cohn recognised while the healthcare system had been strained by COVID-19, she believed it was in crisis long before the pandemic.
She said the Greens hoped to take the seven billion spent on the private health insurance rebate and re-invest it into the public health system, so health resources are prioritised for people who need it most.
They also pledge to fund all dental and mental care under Medicare.
"As a GP, I've lost count of the number of my own patients who have done the right thing and put their hand up and said I need support with my mental health who then can't go on to see a psychologist or psychiatrist because of the cost, because there's a gap fee," Dr Cohn said.
"We've got a system at the moment that put off these things because of the cost, get sicker and sicker, and then come into a public hospital in a crisis.
"So we want to prevent that and get people the care they need straight away."