❓ Ms. Hamilton asks about government support for community organisations addressing increased demand for family and domestic violence services. The Minister outlines initiatives, including $7.9 million in service grants and other investments, highlighting partnerships and support for Aboriginal-controlled organisations.
AnsweredQoN 150Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — COMMUNITY
ORGANISATIONS
150. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's ongoing commitment to combating family and domestic
violence and keeping Western Australian families safe. Can the minister outline
to the house how the government is supporting community
organisations to respond to the increased demand for services and help to
ensure that women and children are kept safe?
ORGANISATIONS
150. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's ongoing commitment to combating family and domestic
violence and keeping Western Australian families safe. Can the minister outline
to the house how the government is supporting community
organisations to respond to the increased demand for services and help to
ensure that women and children are kept safe?
AnswerView source ↗
I am very pleased to outline to the
house some of the initiatives that the state government is taking in
partnership with not only our community organisations, but also all levels of
government. On Friday, I announced $7.9 million in service grants awarded to WA
domestic violence service organisations through the National Partnership on
COVID-19 Domestic and Family Violence Responses. Thirty grants were given to
different organisations around the state. We are grateful to the federal
government for making that money available and allowing the state government to
work and put out an expressions of interest opportunity for different
organisations to come forward and let us know what the demand is out there.
The
grants include supporting additional outreach services, so that means that
there are people on the ground from different organisations getting in
their cars and going out to people's houses and seeing what support
they need; expanding programs to provide legal and financial counselling advice
to women escaping violence to help them get back on their feet again; expanding
men's behaviour change programs; and connecting FDV survivors to
housing options.
Of
course, domestic violence does not discriminate, so there is a need across the
state for this work. That is something that we have certainly recognised since
coming to government in 2017. We have put in record amounts of investment, not
only financial investment, but also attention across portfolios—as I said,
all layers of government in partnership with both local and federal governments
and in lock step with community sector organisations. One in four of those 30 grants
that I mentioned have gone to Aboriginal-controlled organisations. On the eve
of National Reconciliation Week, I think it is important that we
understand that Aboriginal organisations are best placed to start to provide
good relationships and meaningful responses to Aboriginal women experiencing
domestic violence.
That $7.9 million is on top of the
$28 million that we put into the COVID response to domestic violence last year.
There are significant resources going out across the state, as I said.
Just quickly, people might be
interested to know that in the Kimberley, $454 000 has gone to the Marnin Bowa
Dumbara Aboriginal Corporation to look at a counselling outreach response and
make sure that it is making contact with people in Derby, as well as in the west
of the Kimberley. The Australian Childhood Foundation was given $248 000 to do
work statewide with children and young people. The Community Legal Centres
Association was given $1.148 million to look at legal health check and referral
pathways to make sure that all the different services understand how to give
people the best support possible. The Ebenezer Aboriginal Corporation in the
north metropolitan area was given $390 000,
member for Joondalup. These are significant grants that have been given out
throughout the state to make sure that we are there when people are
experiencing domestic violence and that we are building up the capacity of our
community sector partners to provide support when women and children need it.
house some of the initiatives that the state government is taking in
partnership with not only our community organisations, but also all levels of
government. On Friday, I announced $7.9 million in service grants awarded to WA
domestic violence service organisations through the National Partnership on
COVID-19 Domestic and Family Violence Responses. Thirty grants were given to
different organisations around the state. We are grateful to the federal
government for making that money available and allowing the state government to
work and put out an expressions of interest opportunity for different
organisations to come forward and let us know what the demand is out there.
The
grants include supporting additional outreach services, so that means that
there are people on the ground from different organisations getting in
their cars and going out to people's houses and seeing what support
they need; expanding programs to provide legal and financial counselling advice
to women escaping violence to help them get back on their feet again; expanding
men's behaviour change programs; and connecting FDV survivors to
housing options.
Of
course, domestic violence does not discriminate, so there is a need across the
state for this work. That is something that we have certainly recognised since
coming to government in 2017. We have put in record amounts of investment, not
only financial investment, but also attention across portfolios—as I said,
all layers of government in partnership with both local and federal governments
and in lock step with community sector organisations. One in four of those 30 grants
that I mentioned have gone to Aboriginal-controlled organisations. On the eve
of National Reconciliation Week, I think it is important that we
understand that Aboriginal organisations are best placed to start to provide
good relationships and meaningful responses to Aboriginal women experiencing
domestic violence.
That $7.9 million is on top of the
$28 million that we put into the COVID response to domestic violence last year.
There are significant resources going out across the state, as I said.
Just quickly, people might be
interested to know that in the Kimberley, $454 000 has gone to the Marnin Bowa
Dumbara Aboriginal Corporation to look at a counselling outreach response and
make sure that it is making contact with people in Derby, as well as in the west
of the Kimberley. The Australian Childhood Foundation was given $248 000 to do
work statewide with children and young people. The Community Legal Centres
Association was given $1.148 million to look at legal health check and referral
pathways to make sure that all the different services understand how to give
people the best support possible. The Ebenezer Aboriginal Corporation in the
north metropolitan area was given $390 000,
member for Joondalup. These are significant grants that have been given out
throughout the state to make sure that we are there when people are
experiencing domestic violence and that we are building up the capacity of our
community sector partners to provide support when women and children need it.
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