Goldstein independent MP Zoe Daniel has joined peak bodies representing more than 200 specialist service providers to call on the government to address the delay in frontline family and domestic violence workers.
Daniel has invited organisations from the sector to attend the parliament and have their voices heard. These include Elise Phillips with Domestic Violence NSW; Karen Dini-Paul with Warringu Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation; Leeanne Caton, a NT representative; Kathleen Maltzahn with Sexual Assault Services Victoria and Yvette Cehtel with Women’s Legal TAS.
In a statement, Daniel said: “Frontline family and sexual violence services save lives. They are critical to ensuring victim-survivors receive the tailored and timely support they need to be safe and to recover from violence. But across the country, these services are struggling under increasing demand and a dire lack of funding.”
Larissa Waters from the Greens and the Liberal’s deputy leader, Sussan Ley, have also been raising the issue.
The government has said it has funded the positions, but the states and territories have not hired enough fast enough.
Last month, Senate Estimates found only 53 of the 500 domestic violence sector workers promised by the federal government’s 2022 budget had been hired.
In 2022, the federal government set a commitment to spend $169.4 million over four years to fund 500 frontline service and community workers to support people experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence.
This funding went to individual states and territories, which are responsible for hiring the workers, however, the success of this process has been called “appallingly slow”.
Amid a crisis of violence against women in Australia, Daniel and the sector are saying the excuses and delays have gone on for too long.
A total of 39 women have been killed by violence in Australia this year already, according to Destroy the Joint.
Our Watch statistics say 1 in 4 women have experienced violence, emotional abuse, or economic abuse by a cohabitating partner since the age of 15. And women who have experienced violence are more likely to experience multiple incidents of violence.