Services tackling family violence in the western suburbs have been left high and dry by the state budget, according to Women’s Health West.
The claim comes as Labor vows to hold a royal commission on family violence if it wins November’s election.
WHW chief executive Robyn Gregory said the Footscray-based service was stunned by the government’s failure to tackle the overwhelming demand for family violence services in the
west.
“This budget provides no additional funds for family violence services to respond to women in crisis despite 29 family violence deaths in Victoria last year, including the devastating murder of Fiona Warzywoda in Sunshine in April,” she said.
“There’s no provision for the essential work of preventing violence in the first place.”
Women in the west are particularly at risk of violence, with several municipalities recording above-average rates of reported family violence.
Demand for WHW services has skyrocketed by 150 per cent since 2009-10, but a funding boost of just 25 per cent has failed to keep pace with the growing caseload.
Dr Gregory said that with family violence costing the state economy more than
$3.4 billion a year, it made “fiscal and moral sense” to move it up the budget priority list.
“The additional $1.1 million per year over four years to expand high-risk pilot strategies is welcome but minuscule compared to
$300 million in new money allocated to the much smaller but more visible problem of public transport crime.”
Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge said the government would invest an additional $4.5 million expanding a pilot risk management program.
“The Victorian government is expanding a successful approach that brings together family violence and human services, police, corrections and courts to keep women and children safe and hold dangerous perpetrators to account,” she said.
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said a Labor government would establish Australia’s first royal commission on family violence.
Mr Andrews said victims seeking help faced endless waiting lists, underfunded support networks, an undermanned policeforce and toothless intervention orders.
“Too many are later described as the victim of an unexpected, isolated incident.
“Well, there’s nothing unexpected or isolated about it. It’s a vicious pattern.”
WHW family violence services manager Jacky Tucker said the service would expect such an inquiry to include a reinstatement of the family violence deaths review, which provided evidence to coroners to help them make recommendations to reduce family violence.
