Labor admits just 17 of 500 domestic violence staff promised have been hired

Social services minister Amanda Rishworth says government ‘needed to work hard’ to fulfil election promise

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Only a handful of the 500 domestic violence support workers promised by the Albanese government have been hired, the social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, has admitted, saying Labor “needed to work hard” to fulfil its election commitment.

“We put the money in our budget and we’re working with the states and territories through paying them to employ these workers and get these workers on the ground,” Rishworth told the ABC on Friday, confirming just 17 of the 500 domestic violence staff had started work.

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