❓ This WA parliamentary question addresses the WA government's role in the national action plan to address violence against women and outlines state strategies and funding for domestic violence services, including refuges and outreach programs.
AnsweredQoN 1151Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN — NATIONAL ACTION PLAN
I refer to the federal government’s stated commitment to release a national plan of action to address violence against women, given that it is estimated that at least one in three women have experienced physical violence at some stage of their lives. (1) What role is the WA government taking in the development of the national plan of action? (2) What other strategies is the state government considering to address the issue of violence against women? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
I refer to the federal government’s stated commitment to release a national plan of action to address violence against women, given that it is estimated that at least one in three women have experienced physical violence at some stage of their lives. (1) What role is the WA government taking in the development of the national plan of action? (2) What other strategies is the state government considering to address the issue of violence against women? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
(1) What role is the WA government taking in the development of the national plan of action? (2) What other strategies is the state government considering to address the issue of violence against women? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
(2) What other strategies is the state government considering to address the issue of violence against women? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
(1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
(2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
(1) What role is the WA government taking in the development of the national plan of action? (2) What other strategies is the state government considering to address the issue of violence against women? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
(2) What other strategies is the state government considering to address the issue of violence against women? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
(1) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency representing Western Australia in the development of the first three-year national action plan. The department is a member of the Council of Australian Governments officials working group convened to progress the development of the national plan 2009-21 and the national action plan 2010-13. (2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
(2) The department convenes the WA Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group, with membership from relevant state and commonwealth government departments, and the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services. The senior officers’ group is developing a four-year state strategic plan for responding to family and domestic violence, a key focus of which is the development and implementation of a statewide integrated response. This includes the establishment of case management processes throughout the state to manage and monitor high-risk cases of family and domestic violence. The national and state plans will align effectively. The department, through the joint commonwealth-state National Affordable Housing Agreement, currently provides $17.7 million per annum for a range of domestic violence services, including 37 women’s refuges. In addition, under the commonwealth-state National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, funding of $6.8 million has been allocated over four years for domestic violence initiatives, including the Safe at Home program and the domestic violence outreach program. The $17.7 million to which I have referred comes out of the National Affordable Housing Agreement, but the program is not administered by the Department of Housing and has nothing to do with that portfolio; it is completely separate. The Department for Child Protection has total responsibility for implementation of the program as far as refuges and family and domestic violence are concerned. As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
As the Minister for Women’s Interests, I had responsibility for the domestic violence unit, which previously came under the Department for Communities. After we came into government, I wanted a total package, so the domestic violence unit was taken out of the Department for Communities and put back into the Department for Child Protection. The funding for refuges always came from the Department for Child Protection, and many programs that we run for family and domestic violence are child focused, so it made sense to put it all under one department. Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
Today I announced that Department for Child Protection workers in the regions would be co-located with police in police stations. We will have them in Albany, Bunbury, Northam, Geraldton, Mandurah, South Hedland and Broome police stations. That is a real plus for the regions. It means that if the police are called out to deal with domestic violence in the regions, they will take with them a child protection worker who is co-located with them in that police station. The police will deal with the perpetrator, and the child protection worker—the field officer—will deal with the children, because quite often it is the children who are the victims of violence. They are the voiceless victims. Therefore, somebody will be able to take charge in the household, and it will be the child protection worker. I am very excited about that program that I announced today. We have it in the city, but, as I said, this program is for the regions. The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
The Safe at Home program that I mentioned was released last week. That provides specialist workers to assess safety and support needs of women and children to stay in their own home, and there are brokerage funds to stabilise housing and increase security. Linkages to the WA Police through a memorandum of understanding and local protocols are critical. This provides another option for women so that some women can stay safely in their own homes. The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
The department also operates a 24-hour statewide women’s domestic violence helpline, and a 24-hour statewide men’s domestic violence helpline. The helplines provide confidential counselling and support for victims and perpetrators of family and domestic violence. We are working really hard, and I, as the minister, am implementing programs to stop family and domestic violence.
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