Liam McNally
Melton-Brimbank family violence service Good Shepherd has welcomed the news that the state government has implemented all 227 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence.
Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Ros Spence announced the government has implemented all recommendations of the 2016 Royal Commission on January 28.
The government said the Royal Commission revealed the devastating prevalence and impact of family violence and set out a framework for whole-of-system reform to end family violence in Victoria.
Key recommendations included establishing Specialist Family Violence Courts, establishing a self-determined response to end family violence against Aboriginal people through the Dhelk Dja Agreement, expanding community-based interventions and accommodation programs informed by a new Central Information Point, establishing the nation’s first dedicated prevention agency, Respect Victoria, and the rollout of the state-wide Orange Door Network.
Since first opening in 2018, the Orange Door Network has assisted more than 267,000 people, including more than 107,000 children.
Good Shepherd general manager of safety and resilience Livia La Rocca said the state government “must be commended on their significant investment and commitment to addressing family violence”.
“There has been a great investment from the Victorian government in additional resources to assist victim-survivors from more flexible funding, case management boosts and refuge support to funding for pets who are important members of the family,“ she said.
“Additionally, there has been a commitment to acknowledge and support children as victim survivors with specific funding for children in refuge. There has also been an investment in workforce capability with funding and mandatory qualifications for frontline family violence practitioners.”
Ms Spence said the government will continue “to ensure the lived experiences of victim survivors of family violence are at the forefront of reform, policy and service delivery.”
“Victoria owes victim survivors a great debt for their generosity in sharing their stories and experiences, so that we can continue to improve the way we prevent and respond to family violence,” she said.
