$24.7 million package against family violence

The Brumby Labor Government is stepping up its campaign against family violence with a $24.7 million package aimed at breaking the cycle of abuse by stopping family violence before it happens and extending support for victims.

The Minister for Women’s Affairs Maxine Morand said family violence had no place in Victoria.

“The Brumby Labor Government firmly believes that every Victorian should have the right to feel safe in their own home,” Ms Morand said.

“In the 2008-09 State Budget, the Brumby Labor Government is taking action to increase our prevention efforts and support for those affected. We are also developing a State Prevention Plan that will identify the actions we need to take to prevent family violence from occurring.

“Family violence is the leading contributor to preventable death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15 to 45 years and the Brumby Labor Government is taking action because our Government is committed to reducing the damage caused by family violence in the community."

Ms Morand said key elements of the new funding program were:

• $4.3 million over four years to extend crisis responses and expand intensive case management for women and children, targeting those at highest risk;
• $4.2 million over four years to help connect agencies, such as family violence services, counselling and refuges, with police and courts to better support victims of family violence;
• $6.1 million over four years to increase men’s behaviour change programs, and intensive case management and a phone line for men who use violence;
• $0.5 million to support the development of a family violence State Prevention Plan and to run pilot violence prevention programs in schools starting in 2009;
• $1.5 million on a family violence community education campaign to increase awareness of the new Family Violence Bill, the unacceptability of family violence and the increased protections and responses available to victims; and
• $8.1 million for indigenous-specific initiatives, such as increased funding for intensive case management for indigenous victims of family violence.

Attorney-General Rob Hulls said law reform underpinned the Government's family violence reform program and the introduction this year of a new Family Violence Bill, outlined in the Brumby Labor Government’s Statement of Government Intentions, would better protect victims of family violence and hold perpetrators responsible for their actions.

"Key reforms proposed for inclusion in the new Bill include a new system of police-issued family violence safety notices, which will make it easier for victims of family violence to remain in the family home, as well as new requirements making it more difficult for self-represented perpetrators of violence to cross-examine their victims in court," Mr Hulls said.

Ms Morand said a community education campaign would support the release of the new legislation.

“The Brumby Labor Government is determined to increase community awareness that family violence is unacceptable and that increased protection and support is available to victims,” Ms Morand said.

She said the new program of initiatives built on the Government’s investment of almost $50 million since 2005 in family violence reform, including an investment in better integrated responses to family violence and increased support services.

“The community, support services, the courts, the police and the Government have worked together to deliver major improvements to the way the complex issue of family violence is handled, but more needs to be done,” Ms Morand said.

“This $24.7 million State Budget package, and this year’s Family Violence Bill are the next steps towards the Brumby Labor Government’s goal of eliminating family violence from the community.”