Brother of Victim Criticises PM Over Royal Commission Response
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has faced backlash after dismissing calls for a royal commission into femicide, with the brother of a domestic violence victim saying the government has "blood on their hands."
The Controversy
"What does a royal commission do besides fund lawyers?"
In a radio interview on Hit 100.9FM Hobart, Albanese was asked about a petition with over 93,000 signatures calling for a royal commission into the killing of women and girls. The Prime Minister responded by questioning the value of such an inquiry, saying royal commissions "are just processes that take time, cost a lot of money, rather than money going into services."
Shaun Azzopardi, whose sister Nikkita was killed by her partner in October 2024, expressed deep disappointment at the Prime Minister's remarks.
"I just think it's blood on their hands."
Government Response
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister later said the government will "consider anything that is effective to protect women and their children" and is currently consulting with the sector.
Background: A Family's Loss
Nikkita Azzopardi was found dead in her Melbourne home on October 28, 2024. Her partner, Joel Micallef, was found not guilty due to mental impairment in December 2024 and died in custody in March 2025.
The petition calls for a broad investigation into:
- Laws and systemic failures
- Police and legal system responses
- Contributing factors of violence
- Social media's role
- Rates of violence among First Nations women
The Broader Crisis
Government data reveals a devastating pattern: a woman was killed by an intimate partner every 11 days in the 2024-25 financial year.
Anti-violence advocate Sherele Moody reports over 1,300 women and girls have been killed since 2000, with 77 already recorded in 2025 and 105 in 2024 alone.