2015-12-11
The Australian Greens welcome COAG's announcement of a domestic violence summit and a deadline for national DVO legislation, but cuts must be restored and funding increased for domestic violence services and prevention in the MYEFO next Tuesday.
"While we welcome the first ministers' domestic violence announcements, they will not stop women being turned away from over-stretched refuges and legal centres," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens spokesperson for women, said.
"We welcome a summit, but the cuts to services can be fixed right away.
"To end our nation's domestic violence crisis we must help every woman who reaches out and ensure that attitudes of gender inequality are eradicated.
"The Turnbull Government's MYEFO must provide new funding and reverse funding cuts, including $15 million cut from Legal Aid, $44 million cut from construction of new shelters, $240 million cut from social services and looming cuts to legal services.
"Community legal centres are facing a looming 'funding cliff' from July 2017, with a 40% cut of $12 million. That funding uncertainty makes it difficult to retain staff and plan for the future.
"Community legal centres already turn away 150,000 people every year and about one third of their work is focused on domestic violence.
"The deadline for the national domestic violence order legislation is very welcome but it's long overdue - it has now been five years since it was proposed as an "immediate national initiative" in the National Plan.
"We can solve our nation's shameful domestic violence epidemic if governments work together to properly fund crisis lines, legal centres, emergency accommodation, affordable long-term accommodation and prevention," Senator Waters said.