Wednesday, 29 July 2026

 Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (18:58): (2642) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, and the action I seek is for you to invest in sustainable, long-term funding for family violence organisations focused on prevention initiatives and programs to address the crisis of gender-based violence in Victoria. This month of July we remember Layla Jeffery, a bright 13-year-old with her whole life ahead of her; Lavanya Chappa, a loving mother of two whose family described her as a devoted daughter, valued colleague and dear friend; and Brooke Timmins, a dedicated mother, passionate basketball coach, beloved daughter, sister and aunty whose children were her whole world. We honour their lives, mourn alongside their families and communities and think of their children, parents, siblings and friends, whose lives have been forever changed by their loss.

In 2015–16 family violence in Victoria cost an estimated $5.3 billion, of which $2.6 billion was borne by victim-survivors and their families, $1.8 billion by the state government and $918 million by the community and broader economy. Despite this enormous cost, only an estimated $4.3 million is invested yearly in prevention by the Victorian government, not even 1 per cent of that cost. Economic modelling by Deloitte estimates that shifting harmful gender norms – one of the goals of prevention work and a precursor to seeing the rates of perpetuation fall – will grow the national economy by $128 billion per annum on average.

Family violence specialists are doing incredible work and hard yards to protect women and children, support change men’s behaviour programs and implement community-led solutions. Organisations such as Djirra, inTouch, Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights, Respect Victoria and many more are delivering life-saving services on reduced funding. If 41 people were killed at the MCG, government action would be immediate, and rightly so, but because 41 women have been killed behind closed doors, the response is a business-as-usual attitude, a media release here and there by this Victorian Labor government. Violence against women is evolving and intensifying, including the rise of technology-facilitated abuse. As this crisis worsens, the government response must be comprehensive and holistic. Specialist family violence organisations need sustained, adequate resourcing to meet the growing and shifting demand. This means fully funding frontline services, investing in early intervention and prevention and backing the many recommendations and expert evidence already available with the funding required to implement them.