I encourage people like 2015 Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, whose son Luke was murdered by his father, to continue her tireless advocacy for victims of family and domestic violence and importantly, potential victims.

People like Rosie and many other victims, need to know that they will be taken seriously. We need to acknowledge their strength in speaking up and support them.

The Department of Human Services will continue to use its unique position to reach out to victims and potential victims of family and domestic violence.

Family and domestic violence can happen to anyone, and this includes my staff. If I am going to ask my staff to support customers experiencing family and domestic violence, then we must recognise and support staff who are affected themselves.

The department has implemented a family and domestic violence staff contact line. We have also developed targeted training and resources to help managers support their staff.

I want us to be the public sector leader in its support for customers and staff who are victims of domestic violence. 

I believe that if we can work with other community leaders, including governments at all levels, churches and large corporates, we can make a real difference in the fight against the scourge of family and domestic violence.

Narrandera Shire Council (NSC) is value-adding to the Riverina Fruit Fly Campaign with a Queensland fruit fly host plant removal program. 

Over recent months NSC has been proactive in removing prickly pear plants from council managed lands.

Prickly pear is a Class 4 Locally Controlled Weed.

The growth of the plant must be managed in a manner that continuously inhibits the ability of the plant to spread and the plant must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed. 

NSC Open Space and Recreation Manager said they had been targeting Prickly Pear in their managed areas.

After inspecting a number of infestations they noticed a high presence of fruit fly and an increase in the spread of prickly pear this year.

The Riverina Fruit Fly Campaign, supported by Riverina Local Land Services, aims to provide management information on the horticultural pest Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) management.

The campaign services the shire areas of Leeton, Griffith, Narrandera, Carrathool and Murrumbidgee, which previously fell under the regulations of PFA (Pest Free Area).

The PFA was deregulated at the end of 2012 when the onus for Qfly management was placed on all fruit and vegetable growers- commercial or backyard. 

Qfly are a major pest to the Riverina horticulture industry.

Given that much of the irrigation areas rely on horticulture as their prime income it is crucial that the whole of community activity and routinely carry out Qfly management activities to protect the industry.

By councils, commercial growers, backyard growers and all other land managers taking Qfly management seriously, as Narrandera Shire Council have, the Riverina can move towards a more strategic wider community approach of area wide management.