COAG: Federal Government domestic violence funding in focus as leaders commit to national summit
By Stephanie Anderson
Posted Fri 11 Dec 2015 at 7:08am Friday 11 Dec 2015 at 7:08am Fri 11 Dec 2015 at 7:08am
Minister for Women Michaelia Cash said a national Domestic Violence Order scheme should be introduced in the first half of 2016. (ABC News: Dane Meale)
abc.net.au/news/domestic-violence-funding-in-focus-as-national-summit-announced/7022200
The Federal Government is under pressure to restore funding to domestic violence services ahead of next week's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO).
Domestic violence was one of the key talking points at today's meeting of state and territory leaders, who agreed to a national summit on preventing violence against women alongside a raft of other measures.
If you get a domestic violence order in one jurisdiction, it should be legally recognised in another jurisdiction.
The announcement has been welcomed by federal Labor and the Greens, but the latter said a summit would not stop women being turned away from overstretched refuges.
Greens senator Larissa Waters said that increased funding was needed to address the issue.
"The Turnbull Government's MYEFO must provide new funding and reverse funding cuts, including $15 million cut from Legal Aid, $44 million cut from construction of new shelters, $240 million cut from social services and looming cuts to legal services," Senator Waters said in a statement.
"Community legal centres are facing a looming 'funding cliff' from July 2017, with a 40 per cent cut of $12 million. That funding uncertainty makes it difficult to retain staff and plan for the future."
National scheme on cards for 2016: Cash
COAG leaders also agreed to introduce a national Domestic Violence Order (DVO) scheme, which Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash, said should be introduced in the first half of 2016.
Senator Cash told reporters that a national scheme would ease the burden currently placed on victims moving interstate.
"If a woman received, for example, a domestic violence order in WA and she had to flee the jurisdiction and go into SA, that domestic violence order was not recognised," she said.
"She had to re-prove before the courts the reasons why she should get a domestic violence order.
"We have said for a long time that is unacceptable. If you get a domestic violence order in one jurisdiction, it should be legally recognised in another jurisdiction."
Senator Cash said she was hopeful that the summit would help investigate measures for introducing policies based on best practise, saying it would be more than just a "talkfest".
The summit comes after calls for a National Crisis Summit from Labor in March.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said his party was ready to work with the Turnbull Government to bring the summit forward ahead of its proposed date of late 2016.
Posted 11 Dec 2015 11 Dec 2015 Fri 11 Dec 2015 at 7:08am
Failure to replace judges, surge in domestic violence cases straining courts
Community and Society
Domestic violence update
So far today police in Australia would have dealt with on average
domestic violence matters.
Learn more about these numbers
Family and domestic violence support:
1800 Respect national helpline:
Women's Crisis Line:
Men's Referral Service:
Lifeline (24 hour crisis line):
Relationships Australia:
NSW Domestic Violence Line:
Qld DV Connect Womensline:
Vic Safe Steps crisis response line:
ACT 24/7 Crisis Line:
Tas Family Violence Counselling and Support Service:
SA Domestic Violence Crisis Line:
WA Women's Domestic Violence 24h Helpline:
NT Domestic violence helpline:
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