2016-05-30
Ms SPRINGLE (South Eastern Metropolitan) — My question is also for the Special Minister of State, representing the Premier, and it is in view of the whole-of-government approach that the government is taking to the prevention of family violence. Last week the government announced the membership of the new Family Violence Steering Committee that will work with the government and the community to review and implement the 227 recommendations of the royal commission. My question to the minister is: by what criteria was the membership of the Family Violence Steering Committee determined?
Mr JENNINGS (Special Minister of State) — I thank Ms Springle for her question. I will take that question on notice.
Ms SPRINGLE (South Eastern Metropolitan) — I thank the minister for his answer. There are some very notable omissions. There is no representative of any government department, such as the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Justice and Regulation, and there is no representative of either the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS) or the Federation of Community Legal Centres, which is the peak body for the 20 community legal centres that work mainly with victims. Those departments and organisations sat on the steering committee's predecessors and have decades of experience developing policy. Having government departments sit with peak bodies and community organisations seems essential to avoid the silo approach the family violence royal commissioners want to avoid. Can the minister explain why it has been decided that the Family Violence Steering Committee will not benefit from the experience of either the FVPLS, the Federation of Community Legal Centres or relevant government departments?
Mr JENNINGS (Special Minister of State) — I thank Ms Springle for the validity of her concerns, but I am taking that question on notice.