Wednesday, 12 November 2025

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (23:14): (2086) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence and relates to the growing number of family violence cases in regional Victoria involving animals beyond cats and dogs. In regional areas, including in my own home, the family pet often extends well beyond traditional companion animals. Horses, farmed animals such as sheep and cows and working animals are a normal part of the household and daily responsibilities. Yet in rural settings there remains a major policy gap in awareness about how these animals are used as tools and coercion in family violence cases. Centre Against Violence, a not-for-profit organisation providing crisis care and case management in the Ovens–Murray region of northern Victoria, has observed a significant rise over the past two years in the use of animals as instruments of family violence and notes that other family violence services across the state are reporting the same concerning trend. Perpetrators of family violence are increasingly using animals to locate, track or control the people that they abuse. This can include causing physical harm, exerting coercion or creating financial abuse, often through ownership, registration or microchipping systems. In some cases perpetrators manipulate ownership or registration details, withhold access to income connected to animals or use these systems to maintain ongoing control after a separation. Centre Against Violence reports that in rural settings those experiencing family violence are more likely to be providing primary care for family animals, yet they are putting their lives at risk in doing so.

There is a severe shortage of emergency accommodation that can support animals beyond cats and dogs, leaving many survivors with impossible choices between their own safety and the wellbeing of their animals. Stables and kennels in rural areas are often unmonitored or publicly accessible, giving perpetrators opportunities to locate or harass victim-survivors as they wish. This lack of oversight, combined with limited emergency accommodation and support, demonstrates the significant gaps in services and policy for regional communities. Every single person affected by family violence, along with their animals, deserves safety and support, no matter where they live. The action that I seek is for the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence to work with the Minister for Agriculture to recognise and address the link between family violence and harm to all animals central to rural life and to ensure regional services and policies reflect the full scope of this concerning issue.