Rosie Batty began speaking publicly about domestic and family violence following the murder of her son Luke. Through sustained advocacy, she brought survivor voices into public view and helped reshape national conversation around accountability, prevention and systemic response.

In 2015, Batty was named Australian of the Year. Her acceptance speech is delivered with clarity and restraint, balancing personal experience with an urgent call for societal change. With a focus on credibility and gravity, Batty takes a direct approach to statistics, before moving into an impassioned address to her son, showcasing both the breadth and intimacy of this issue.

The recording captures a moment when speech can function as civic intervention. Addressing survivors, institutions and the wider community simultaneously, Batty’s speech contributed to policy change and increased public awareness. Preserved as audio, the speech documents a turning point in how domestic and family violence is discussed in Australia, and the role of testimony in shaping national priorities.