Family violence reforms welcomed but more funds needed on the front-line

The new reform package announced by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan on May 30, 2024, addresses laws, culture and supports around family and gendered violence.

Helen Bolton, the chief executive officer of Warrnambool's Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre (SAFV), known locally as Emma House, said the centre was "so excited" by the reforms, which include a presumption of a new minimum length for family violence intervention orders.

Ms Bolton said most orders currently lasted between six and 12 months, which was not long enough to protect victims.

"Sometimes people who use violence are acutely aware of when (an intervention order) expires and they use a range of techniques to intimidate and threaten victims not to extend the order," she said.

"Putting the focus back on the offender, rather than requesting victims to repeatedly attend court to prove they aren't safe, is a really welcome measure.

"For our legal service it will hopefully mean a reduction in the number of cases they are continually supporting in order to receive that extension in an intervention order."

There is currently a two to three week wait for support at the Warrnambool-based legal service, however priority is given to urgent cases.

Stalking laws will be overhauled under the new reforms and more intensive training across 1199 schools will attempt to counter the influence of "Andrew Tate types", the state government said.

Ms Bolton said violence against women was a choice and education was "absolutely critical".

And while thrilled with the reforms, the CEO said it was disappointing to see there was nothing to address inadequate funding for case management, particularly in regional areas.

"We know there is unprecedented demand for our family violence system and that all comes back to our case managers and crisis workers," Ms Bolton said.

"We really do want people to report and to seek support but the capacity of the response system is really at a pressure point at the moment, and there was not enough detail of anything coming through on-the-ground services to continue to provide a response."

Ms Bolton said the 17 Orange Doors across the state were fantastic but only provided intake and assessment before allocating the cases to Emma House.

"Our funding for case management has really not grown over the last few years and our staff are incredible and go above and beyond in working to support women and children, so we are we are a bit disappointed at this point in time," she said.

The government also said it would work with the community housing sector to draw funding under the Commonwealth's $1 billion National Housing Infrastructure Facility for crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children fleeing family violence - including more core and cluster models.

Emma House has been moving towards the core and cluster model since plans for a new refuge accommodation were approved in August 2021.

Ms Bolton said funding had already been committed to the model in the state budget, but the SAFV Centre would advocate for the Wimmera region.

She said building at the Warrnambool site had been delayed due to the discovery of significant Indigenous artefacts, but they were looking forward to soon delivering the model, which will provide a cluster of self-contained units.

The premier's announcement came as Emma House officially opened its new Kepler Street office on Thursday.

Ms Bolton said the timing of the opening was more important than ever given the prevalence of violence across the region and in the media.

Earlier this week The Standard reported the state government had resisted calls to invest in specific regional family and gender violence prevention measures, despite deaths and assaults occurring at a much higher rate outside Melbourne.