Thursday, 22 June 2023

Adjournment

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep, Minister for Environment) (17:20): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

Family violence services

John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (17:20): (309) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence in the other place, Minister Spence. In making this adjournment I rise to speak on the horrendous crime of family violence, and particularly I want to talk about the blight of family violence in my community of Southern Metro, a blight on our state that no-one should ever experience. Domestic violence sends a painful ripple through society and affects not only those who are the victims of it but also the children, friends and loved ones. Nearly one woman is killed every week across Australia due to family violence. It is often a key factor in child protection cases and is a leading cause for homelessness for women and children. These heartbreaking statistics show how vital it is for the Victorian government to do everything it can to combat family violence.

In 2016 the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence unveiled the tragic prevalence of family violence, and it set out over 200 recommendations into how the family violence system should be reformed to better address the needs of survivors. The Victorian government recently announced that it has completed implementing all of the 227 recommendations. This is an outstanding achievement. Actions like this ensure that all Victorians have access to life-saving services if they experience family violence, such as emergency accommodation and specialist family violence courts. Everyone deserves to live safely without fear of violence, especially within the home.

The Andrews Labor government has an ongoing commitment to combating family violence and has been a world leader in doing so. The introduction of paid family violence leave is an important step in meeting our commitments to protecting and supporting survivors of family violence. We take family violence very seriously. By investing $3.7 billion into preventing and responding to family violence, the Andrews Labor government has shown its commitment to protecting and supporting all women and children. The establishment of the Orange Door network in 2018 has provided support and guidance to more than 200,000 people, including over 100,000 children. On top of this, the Andrews Labor government has funded refuges for family violence, which provide critical accommodation for those escaping family violence.

Fighting family violence is a big deal to me, and I am sure that all Victorians feel the same way. While family violence primarily affects women and children, it is important to also protect male victims of family violence, who are much less likely to come forward. When we act against family violence, it needs to be for all people. That is why the action I seek from Minister Spence is further information on what initiatives the government is implementing to achieve the ultimate objective of a Victoria free from violence.