(image via The Indian Weekly)
Victoria has set aside almost $2 billion to tackle the growing threat of family violence as the state beefs up action to deal with the problem.
Unveiling its latest State Budget, Victorian State Treasurer Tim Pallas announced that $1.91 billion would be spent in 2017/18 on efforts to respond to all recommendation made by the Royal Commission into Family Violence.
This amount includes:
- $448.1 million to establish seventeen support and safety hubs which will act as a visible contact point for victim survivors.
- $270.8 million in after-hours crisis support, counselling and therapy.
- $269.4 million to implement five Special Family Violence Courts across the state.
- $161.1 million to expand family services and recruit 450 new child protection workers.
- $133.2 million in funding for extra-long-term housing, more rental assistance, improved crisis accommodation and better support for people fleeing family violence.
- $101.2 million to assist government and family violence agencies to better share information through the Central Information Point.
- $76.9 million to go toward efforts to hold perpetrators to account, including early intervention and men’s behaviour change programs.
- $50.7 million to go toward the state’s first primary prevention strategy and to establish a new prevention agency.
- $20.5 million to support community legal centres and financial councillors.
Other budget initiatives concerning the charity and not-for-profit sector include $81.2m to expand maternal and child health services and parenting support $87.1m to help kindergartens get kids from disadvantaged backgrounds ready for school, $58.7m for the next phase of the Government’s Ice Action Plan, $94m to boost jobs in disadvantaged areas, including the Latrobe Valley, $50.7m to help 350 poorly performing schools do better, and $19.9m to provide support to young people with disabilities in advance of the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Describing the investment in family violence as ‘unprecedented’, State Premier Daniel Andrew said the new money would save lives through giving victims a safe place to go, the legal advice along with the legal advice they need to recover.
“We promised we’d spare nothing when it came to addressing family violence – we’re keeping that promise,” Andrews said.
Victorian Council of Social Services Chief Executive Officer Emma King welcomed the announcement, saying that the additional investment in family violence will help to save lives.
“This is a budget with a heart,” Ms King said.
“The government has allocated a phenomenal amount of money to address family violence in a range of areas; from prevention to early intervention and support for victims and perpetrators.”
