Call for transparency on family violence funding

Every parliamentarian stands united in ending the scourge of family violence.
Poor delivery, double-speak and hypocrisy on addressing the issue must, however, elicit a different response.
The Federal Government’s announcement last week of $4.4 billion to address Australia’s family violence epidemic has a respected, long-time contributor in the sector expressing deep distress, disappointment, frustration and betrayal.
The Rapid Review acknowledged “gender-based” violence as an ongoing priority” and the need for “significant funding uplift in certain
frontline areas”.
No to Violence CEO Phillip Ripper calls out the Federal Government’s response to that review as “smoke and mirrors”.
He said the announcement conflates two separate National Partnership Agreements – one on domestic, family and sexual violence responses and one for justice.
As a key sector contributor, Mr Ripper calls the announcement a cut of 12.5 percent in funding for frontline services when inflation is considered and that is not specific to frontline services addressing violence.
The Federal Government must answer these criticisms to be clear about what is actually in the National Cabinet commitment.
It is not clear what the announcement means in practice, how much funding there is, who is getting it nor when, despite the current epidemic, it won’t be until July 1 next year when the money is intended to flow to the frontline services who need it.