Two North East women campaigning for justice are set to play a key role in a new advisory group to the Victorian government.
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Wodonga’s Carol Roadknight and Wangaratta’s Tania Maxwell have been spreading a message against violence with their “enough is enough” campaign.
They met with a series of MLAs from both sides of politics in the Victorian Parliament on Wednesday, including Prevention of Family Violence Minister Fiona Richardson and shadow attorney-general John Pesutto.
“Our campaign is to make community safety our number one priority,” Ms Roadknight said.
Our campaign is to make community safety our number one priority.
- Enough is enough founder Carol Roadknight
“We were definitely received very, very well and asked to go back.”
She said the pair was keen to be involved in a parliamentary friendship group, which would be a bi-partisan gathering of community members advising the government on legislation surrounding violent and sexual offenders.
The meeting came just weeks after they also met with deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop when she visited Wodonga.
The group had been calling for a public sex offender registry, but started by speaking to politicians this week about ensuring authorities at least knew where offenders were living in regional areas. “We wanted to make sure the police had up-to-date records,” Ms Roadknight said.
“They’re all around us at the moment, we don’t know who they are.”
She and Ms Maxwell had spent weeks researching government reports in their quest to achieve better justice for victims and families.
The “enough is enough” movement started following the violent deaths of Karen Chetcuti in Whorouly and 11-year-old Zoe Buttigieg in Wangaratta. “That is very well understood – everyone agrees that we need to improve,” Ms Roadknight told The Border Mail.
Ovens Valley MLA Tim McCurdy, who helped organise the meetings, said Ms Roadknight and Ms Maxwell had been impressive advocates.
“They’re very well versed and they know what they want,” he said.
“I think they will be a very strong voice into the future for all violence offences.”