❓ The Minister outlines the McGowan government's investment in family and domestic violence support services in the Kimberley, including funding top-ups for refuges, additional outreach workers, and resources for joint response teams. They also highlight the importance of collaboration between agencies and the reallocation of funding to local Aboriginal organisations.
AnsweredQoN 737Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE SUPPORT SERVICES — KIMBERLEY
737. Dr A.D. BUTI to the Minister for Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to support our most vulnerable Western Australians
through both its $5.5 billion COVID-19 recovery plan and its unprecedented
investment in family and domestic violence
services. Can the minister outline to the house what the government's
investment in support services means to those living in the Kimberley
who are experiencing, or are at risk of, family and domestic violence?
VIOLENCE SUPPORT SERVICES — KIMBERLEY
737. Dr A.D. BUTI to the Minister for Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to support our most vulnerable Western Australians
through both its $5.5 billion COVID-19 recovery plan and its unprecedented
investment in family and domestic violence
services. Can the minister outline to the house what the government's
investment in support services means to those living in the Kimberley
who are experiencing, or are at risk of, family and domestic violence?
AnswerView source ↗
I am very pleased to answer this
question because rarely a week goes by, if not a day, when the observation is made that the incidence of domestic violence is
going up under COVID, for a variety of reasons. We were aware of this
very early on in the pandemic and we have been working very closely with service
providers as well as other state government agencies to keep a keen eye on
reported incidents of domestic violence, but we are also sending a very clear message to the community that should
people experience domestic violence in any form, they should come forward and
seek assistance. Members might be aware that cabinet had its community cabinet
meeting in the Kimberley. I was very happy to be in Broome for a few days. I took
the opportunity to meet with a number of service providers; for instance, the Marnja Jarndu Women's Refuge and the Men's Behaviour Change Network.
Some women from the Derby refuge took the time to come down to Broome to attend
one of the events. It was fantastic to meet them and understand their issues in
tackling an unacceptably high rate of domestic violence in the Kimberley.
The member referred to the recovery
spend by the McGowan government. It is not just a cash splash; it is a very
targeted investment in understanding the existing services on the ground and
where there is need in the community. The state government put in $23 million
as part of the COVID-19 recovery plan to tackle domestic violence. The six
refuges and safe houses across the Kimberley will benefit from a funding top-up
of $210 000 to acknowledge resourcing pressures brought about by COVID-19. Of
the $6.8 million in extra outreach workers throughout the state, at least two will be funded for the
Kimberley. That is, workers who are based at services will be able to go out and reach people who are either not in a position to go to a refuge or simply
do not want to. There are two family and domestic violence response teams that
will each get another community-based resource.
Members would be aware that the
response teams are usually located in police stations and they involve the
police working side by side with Department
of Communities staff and a service provider, and they are getting an additional resource: one in West Kimberley and one in
East Kimberley. While I was up there, I was able to meet with the joint response team in Broome. It was really fantastic
to see the level of sophistication and cooperation between agencies , the
not-for-profit agencies, the police and the Department of Communities. I was
able to meet with Health as well. That model is working very well. There are 17
joint response teams across the state. During COVID we have seen a lifting of
that joint and co-location of effort. As well as meeting with the family
violence joint response team, I was able to meet with the COVID emergency
recovery team, which includes Health, the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service
and the Department of Health officials working with Department of Communities
and police to identify areas of need and possible risk management throughout
the Kimberley. That joint approach is fantastic.
Finally,
I want to mention the reallocation of $2.6 million of funding to the community
services sector in the Kimberley. We
heard loud and clear that local organisations want to be able to bid for some
of that money. We have made the reallocation
of the money that is available open to tender and that will mean that the
Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
and local organisations will be able to bid for some of those funds. We heard
loud and clear that local organisations are best placed to deliver those
services, particularly Aboriginal organisations in the Kimberley.
question because rarely a week goes by, if not a day, when the observation is made that the incidence of domestic violence is
going up under COVID, for a variety of reasons. We were aware of this
very early on in the pandemic and we have been working very closely with service
providers as well as other state government agencies to keep a keen eye on
reported incidents of domestic violence, but we are also sending a very clear message to the community that should
people experience domestic violence in any form, they should come forward and
seek assistance. Members might be aware that cabinet had its community cabinet
meeting in the Kimberley. I was very happy to be in Broome for a few days. I took
the opportunity to meet with a number of service providers; for instance, the Marnja Jarndu Women's Refuge and the Men's Behaviour Change Network.
Some women from the Derby refuge took the time to come down to Broome to attend
one of the events. It was fantastic to meet them and understand their issues in
tackling an unacceptably high rate of domestic violence in the Kimberley.
The member referred to the recovery
spend by the McGowan government. It is not just a cash splash; it is a very
targeted investment in understanding the existing services on the ground and
where there is need in the community. The state government put in $23 million
as part of the COVID-19 recovery plan to tackle domestic violence. The six
refuges and safe houses across the Kimberley will benefit from a funding top-up
of $210 000 to acknowledge resourcing pressures brought about by COVID-19. Of
the $6.8 million in extra outreach workers throughout the state, at least two will be funded for the
Kimberley. That is, workers who are based at services will be able to go out and reach people who are either not in a position to go to a refuge or simply
do not want to. There are two family and domestic violence response teams that
will each get another community-based resource.
Members would be aware that the
response teams are usually located in police stations and they involve the
police working side by side with Department
of Communities staff and a service provider, and they are getting an additional resource: one in West Kimberley and one in
East Kimberley. While I was up there, I was able to meet with the joint response team in Broome. It was really fantastic
to see the level of sophistication and cooperation between agencies , the
not-for-profit agencies, the police and the Department of Communities. I was
able to meet with Health as well. That model is working very well. There are 17
joint response teams across the state. During COVID we have seen a lifting of
that joint and co-location of effort. As well as meeting with the family
violence joint response team, I was able to meet with the COVID emergency
recovery team, which includes Health, the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service
and the Department of Health officials working with Department of Communities
and police to identify areas of need and possible risk management throughout
the Kimberley. That joint approach is fantastic.
Finally,
I want to mention the reallocation of $2.6 million of funding to the community
services sector in the Kimberley. We
heard loud and clear that local organisations want to be able to bid for some
of that money. We have made the reallocation
of the money that is available open to tender and that will mean that the
Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
and local organisations will be able to bid for some of those funds. We heard
loud and clear that local organisations are best placed to deliver those
services, particularly Aboriginal organisations in the Kimberley.
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