The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
PRESS CONFERENCE
YEDDUNG MURA, CANBERRA
WEDNESDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2025
SUBJECTS: Caring Dads program to support First Nations fathers and reduce family violence
MARISA PATERSON MLA: Wonderful to be here today to officially launch the trial Caring Dads program. Yeddung Mura has done a huge amount of work developing this program. It's a Canadian program that's been specifically adapted for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community here in Canberra. The program is designed to work with dads and men who use violence or harmful behaviours, and work with them to change their behaviour. The program is very focused on connecting fathers with children and working on those relationships. So, it's great to be here and I really commend Yeddung Mura for the work that they've done and for setting up this program and really looking forward to seeing the outcomes that this program delivers for the community.
ANDREW LEIGH MP: G'day, my name is Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Treasury, and it's a real pleasure to be here at the announcement at the beginning of the pilot of Caring Dads at Yeddung Mura. And I'd like to thank the team from Yeddung Mura for showing us around and talking with us about the important work they're doing in the community. The Albanese Government's plan to end violence against women and children within a generation has as part of it, investment in innovative programs to address perpetrator behaviour. As part of that, we're providing $3.3 million to the ACT Government, and $780,000 of that will go to the trial of Caring Dads. It’s a world’s first trial of an innovative program based on a Canadian program, but very much adapted for First Nations people here. It will work with a range of vulnerable cohorts, including those coming out of the Alexander Maconochie Centre, in order to address perpetrator behaviour and ultimately reduce violence against women and children.
ENDS