Domestic, family and sexual violence has long cast a shadow over communities across South Australia, but today’s gathering in Adelaide signals a shared determination to disrupt that pattern with meaningful action. The Prevention Roundtable, hosted at the South Australian Museum, brings together a wide mix of people who usually don’t share the same room—government officials, business leaders, academics, health professionals, Aboriginal organisations and national advocacy body Our Watch—all seated with one aim: to help stop the violence before it starts.
The roundtable comes just days before the findings of the state’s Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence are released. That document has been months in the making, fuelled by countless hours of testimony, submissions and analysis from across the state. But those involved in today’s discussion aren’t sitting on their hands waiting for its publication. There’s a strong sense that prevention must be an ongoing commitment, not a line item tied to a final report.
Since the Commission launched in July 2024, its focus has spanned five key areas: prevention, intervention, response, recovery and healing, and coordination. But prevention is getting the spotlight this week. Those at the table are clear-eyed about the scale of the problem. Domestic, family and sexual violence is one of the most pressing and complex issues facing communities—especially women and children, who are most affected.
What gives this roundtable weight is not just the breadth of those attending, but the shared willingness to listen. Aboriginal community leaders bring context and history that can’t be found in official reports. Health workers share experiences from the front line. Academics supply data and long-view thinking. Our Watch, as a national leader in prevention, brings lessons from around the country about what works and what doesn’t. The exchange isn’t about ticking boxes—it’s about joining the dots.
South Australian Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Katrine Hildyard, sees this as more than a one-off event. She made it clear that the time for waiting is over. “We’re not waiting to act. We’re working now and have worked relentlessly since coming to government, shaping what happens next and making sure prevention sits at the heart of every action,” she said. Her call to arms is simple: “To every person at the roundtable today and every person in our community who is playing their role in prevention, I say thank you. This is how change happens—when people show up, work together and demand better.”
There’s a conscious shift away from reacting to violence after it occurs. While support services and law enforcement will always play a role, the longer-term game is to stop violence before it begins. This means changing attitudes, challenging behaviour, and embedding respectful relationships at all levels of society. It’s a tough ask, but the attendees believe it’s not optional.
The fact that this roundtable follows closely on the heels of last week’s eSafety and Image-Based Abuse Roundtable shows a pattern: the government is putting energy into understanding all the ways abuse occurs, especially in the digital age. Tackling image-based abuse, for example, requires an entirely different toolkit than addressing physical violence. But they both stem from the same roots—power, control, and a disregard for consent.
For Patty Kinnersly, CEO of Our Watch, this is a pivotal moment. “We are at a turning point,” she said. “The Royal Commission will chart the path forward, and this roundtable is about making sure we are ready to walk that path together.” She added that for South Australia to lead the way nationally, it will take more than words—it needs long-term investment, teamwork across sectors, and the political will to embed prevention into everyday life.
Today’s discussion was not just about policy. It was about real people with real stories. Survivors’ voices, gathered by the Commission and shared in different forms during the roundtable, serve as constant reminders of why the work matters. These are stories of pain, survival, and resilience, but also stories that highlight where systems have failed and where opportunities for early intervention were missed.
The location of the event—the South Australian Museum—isn’t accidental. It’s a place where stories are preserved and shared. In the context of the roundtable, it becomes a place where new narratives are written: narratives where violence is not accepted, and where prevention isn’t sidelined in favour of quick fixes.
Participants left the room today with no illusions. This work won’t be easy. Attitudes formed over generations don’t shift overnight. Systems built around crisis management don’t transform without effort. And the funding needed to support community-based prevention doesn’t always flow easily. But what was clear from the roundtable is that there is collective resolve to keep pushing.
There’s also recognition that prevention must be tailored. What works in metropolitan Adelaide may not suit regional communities or remote Aboriginal settlements. The approach needs to be localised, culturally safe, and developed hand-in-hand with those it seeks to serve.
Young people are central to these conversations. Whether in schools, online spaces or sports clubs, the way they learn about relationships, respect and consent can have lasting effects. Attendees discussed the importance of embedding these lessons early, not as one-off programs but as part of a broader culture shift.
For the business community, prevention isn’t someone else’s problem. Workplaces have their own roles to play, from adopting family violence leave policies to supporting staff who may be at risk. More broadly, business leaders can use their platforms to promote respectful behaviour and call out harmful attitudes wherever they appear.
Academics at the table stressed the need for solid evidence and ongoing evaluation. If new prevention initiatives are launched, they must be tracked to see what’s working and where they need adjustment. This isn’t about creating more red tape, but about being smarter and more accountable in the long run.
There’s a growing understanding that prevention can’t be a side project. It needs to be built into education, housing, health services, local councils, justice systems and media campaigns. Every corner of society has a part to play, and this roundtable was a reminder that change is a collective effort.
The Royal Commission’s findings, expected soon, will provide important direction. But what happens between now and then—and in the months and years that follow—will define whether South Australia can truly become a leader in prevention.
For now, today’s roundtable has done what it set out to do. It’s sparked conversations that matter. It’s brought new voices into the fold. And it’s laid down a challenge for everyone in the room—and beyond—to take what they’ve heard and turn it into action.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence. And from what was seen and heard today, persistence is exactly what South Australia has in spades.
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