2020-09-29
The long overdue announcement of the Safe Places Emergency Accommodation grants is welcome, but falls critically short of national demand and is no substitute for adequate funding in next week's Budget, Greens Senate Leader Larissa Waters said.
“This funding is a fraction of the money needed to ensure women and children fleeing family violence have somewhere to go and get the support services they need,” Senator Waters, Greens spokesperson on Women, said.
“Announcing 700 new crisis places which the government contends will house 6,000 women and children nationally, when its own data shows almost 10,000 survivors were already turned away from crisis accommodation pre-Covid, means the government is condemning a third of women and children to a choice between violence or homelessness.
“Increased demand throughout Covid has meant Queensland Women’s Legal Service hasn’t been able to answer 50% of its incoming calls. Much of the ‘emergency’ funding announced by the government to address increased demand on Family and Domestic Violence services in March is yet to reach the bank accounts of frontline services.
“Funding for crisis accommodation and support services for victim-survivors has never been more critical. Yet services have been waiting months for the support promised by this government, and made clear that much more is needed.
“The Greens support the sector's calls for a significant increase in funding to fix the domestic and family violence crisis. Next week’s Budget must fund all frontline services needed to keep all victim-survivors of violence safe, and effective primary prevention,” Senator Waters said.