Domestic violence groups question funding for new federal commission

Anti-domestic violence advocates say Liberal and Labor promises to set up a federal Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission will increase accountability, but have questioned the Morrison government’s spending on existing prevention programs.

The government and Opposition this week announced similar plans to set up a federal commission tasked with monitoring the country’s response to tackling domestic violence.

Labor’s $153.4 million pledge over four years would fund a commission and 500 new case worker, financial counsellor, and child support roles.

The Morrison government committed $22.4 million over five years to set up a commission.

Under the Coalition’s plan, the commission would be led by a chief executive or commissioner, who would be tasked with tracking the government’s implementation of its national domestic violence prevention plan.

Labor’s proposed commission would act as a “voice for victim-survivors” and provide yearly reports to government, outlining progress towards eliminating violence.

But experts warn funding used to set up a commission could duplicate work already being done by women’s safety organisations such as ANROWS.

Australian of the Year Grace Tame, advocate for survivors of sexual assault, described the government’s plan as akin to funding a “committee of glorified paper-pushers”.

Source: Domestic violence groups question funding for new federal commission

2 thoughts on “Domestic violence groups question funding for new federal commission”

  1. Something I cannot understand is the unwillingness of both parties to use the word, ‘refuge’! Are they afraid of losing male votes? As a life member of the ALP, I am as astounded, as everyone else, that so little is known about the scourge of family violence. I have complained to Mr Albanese’s office that before ‘social housing’, escaping women require a specific refuge! Our record of women returning to their partner was nine times! I know what social housing would do if they gave a fleeing woman a house and she kept leaving it to go home; they would take it away from her! Therefore , we MUST have good, secular, Federally funded, State managed refuges! Many women emerge from their relationships with a ‘slave mentality'(Stockholm Syndrome) therefore they are unable, in many cases, to make choices to advantage herself and children? ‘He’ is always there in the background! Now, we had in Taree, not only a refuge but two villas on the same land(all taken by Baird and Co and given to a Christian group) . Once, the woman had definitely decided to leave(our record was nine times and more than once death on return to her home), we would suggest the villa where she would be safe , more independent and receive assistance with budgeting etc! That was ideal! Feminists, that is not much to ask? A safe house, for a mother and her kids? Please lobby governments!

  2. I didn’t agree with making Rosie Batty Australian of the Year and nor do I agree with making Grace Tame Australian of the Year. What happened to these individuals individually was horrendous, but neither is qualified to extrapolate a single incidence – or even a handful of incidences – to a gross generalisation. I suggest they are playing into the wrong hands and will get nothing but sympathy by preaching to the converted.

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