Thursday, 19 February 2026

 Alison MARCHANT (Bellarine) (17:09): (1540) My adjournment matter is for the Attorney-General. Last month in Geelong we opened the Geelong Specialist Family Violence Court. It was a significant milestone for our region, ensuring that people across the Bellarine and the wider Geelong and Barwon South West region have support and specialist services in the justice system that are closer to home for them as well. As a government we have invested more than $77 million to establish these purpose-built facilities, which we got to tour with the Attorney-General, with a beautiful space that has safe waiting areas, separate entry points and exit points to minimise contact between victim-survivors and perpetrators, remote witness facilities, private interview rooms and child-friendly spaces.

The delivery of this specialist court, along with others across Victoria, is from a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence, and we continue to do the work around this space and lead the nation in strengthening both prevention and the response to family violence. We have invested more than $4 billion in reforms and implemented all the 227 recommendations from the royal commission. The action that I seek from the Attorney-General is for her to provide an update on how the Geelong Specialist Family Violence Court is benefiting the people of Bellarine in my community, and particularly keeping people safe and supported, ensuring victim-survivors and their children are protected every step of the way through the justice process.