BSL today welcomes the Honourable Quentin Bryce AD CVO, Chair of the Premier’s Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland, to site to help reduce domestic violence in the Capricornia district.

BSL today launches a month-long domestic and family violence awareness raising campaign amongst its 1,100 employees and contractors, which will culminate in White Ribbon Day on 25 November. Witnessed by leaders of BSL, community and large employers, Ms Bryce will unveil large white ribbons BSL has adorned on its fleet of Crucible Transport Vehicles, the mobile equipment which carry molten aluminium on site and are recognised as the ‘arteries of the plant’. 

An invitation was extended to Ms Bryce as Chair of the Premier’s Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland from BSL General Manager Joe Rea, after Mr Rea attended a business workshop in Gladstone which highlighted the alarming statistics around domestic violence in Australia.

The Capricornia district is currently 97 per cent above the Queensland reported average rate of domestic violence incidents—82 per cent of reported offenders were male₁.

“I left the workshop deeply impacted by what I had heard and with more than 1,100 people working at our site, I felt it was un-Australian for us to do nothing in the face of these alarming statistics,” Mr Rea said.

“There are many deserving causes out there and it's great to see an increasing number gaining support however given the frequency of Domestic and Family Violence, be it by forced isolation, physical acts, emotional, verbal or financial abuse I feel our response to date is disproportionate to the size and insidious nature of this issue.  There is no humiliation, only courage, in making the call to reach out for help. The only ‘walk of shame’, is allowing this cycle of abuse to continue its journey.”

As Chair of the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland, Ms Bryce is leading a review of the services and facilities available to victims of domestic violence in this state.

"People are sending us submissions, getting in touch, ringing up with ideas, coming to meetings. They want their views heard, they have ideas and suggestions but what brings it all together is the deep concern in our community about domestic violence—it's very serious," Ms Bryce told the ABC in September.

Independent Member for Gladstone and member of the taskforce Mrs Liz Cunningham will also attend the launch event at BSL and address the workforce and representatives.

The Taskforce will undertake extensive, state-wide consultation with communities, families, individuals, government, non-government organisations and other key stakeholders and report to the Premier of Queensland by the end of February 2015 with recommendations to inform the development of a domestic and family violence strategy.

“Domestic violence, and in particular, violence against women, affects us all. The victims are not statistics in a report—they are our wives, sisters, mothers, daughters, friends and work colleagues. We need a good measure of humility and sensitivity in our approach because in many cases it is as difficult for the victims as it is for the perpetrators to come forward and seek help,” Mr Rea said.

“As a large employer, BSL wants to lead by example and help promote awareness of domestic violence within our community. More importantly we want people to feel that it’s ok to reach out for support. It is the Australian way to help each other out, so there is no humiliation in seeking support.  It is un-Australian, for us to do nothing.”

1. Provided by Vicki Dredge, Queensland Police Service, Capricornia Police District at the Domestic and Family Violence prevention month community leaders breakfast, 4 May 2014