Time for men to end violence: Attorney-General
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is demanding men step up to end the national crisis of violence against women, while defending the decision not to label the Bondi stabbing attack an act of terrorism.
Westfield at Bondi Junction has reopened almost a week after 40-year-old Joel Cauchi’s stabbing spree, which killed six people, predominantly women.
There have been calls to designate the attack terrorism, if authorities find it was driven by an ideology of hate for women.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Asked if killing women could be made a terrorism offence, Mr Dreyfus said the nation had a scourge of male violence.
“I think we can talk about violence against women without blurring lines into something else,” he said on ABC’s RN on Friday.
“It is time for men to step up.”
When asked if Cauchi may have been motivated by the anti-women incel (involuntary celibate) ideology, Mr Dreyfus said it wasn’t appropriate to comment with an investigation ongoing.
Mr Dreyfus also defended the decision by police and ASIO to label the stabbing of bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a service at a church in Sydney’s southwest a terrorist act.
“This was a very distressing attack ... there is a very clear framework here,” he said.
“The director-general of ASIO Mike Burgess has said that designation of a terrorism incident is one that’s driven by ideology, whether that be religious or political motivation.”
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with committing a terrorist act after he allegedly stabbed the clergyman six times with a knife on Monday night.
