The Tasmanian Liberal Government is taking action on family violence through Safe Homes, Safe Families: Tasmania’s Family Violence Action Plan 2015-2020. This is Tasmania’s first Family Violence Action Plan.
“One of many measures detailed in the $25.57 million Action Plan is the provision of an additional $1.2 million to meet the complex legal needs of people affected by family violence,” Premier Will Hodgman said today.
“I am pleased to announce today that community legal centres and women’s shelters across the state are partnering with the Government to immediately commence offering additional services to women in need.”
$300,000 in additional funding for the remainder of 2015-16 has been allocated to the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania and a number of Community Legal Centres to support victims of family violence in each region.
Of the $300,000 which is available for the current financial year:
• $100,000 will go to the Legal Aid Commission to fund another legal practitioner dedicated to family violence matters, including a commitment to provide some outreach legal advice for the Safer Choices unit, once established.
• The Hobart Community Legal Centre will receive $50,000 to fund legal assistance including strengthening outreach services particularly in the Bridgewater region where the Hobart Community Legal Centre already has a presence. Outreach legal services will also be provided to rural areas and women in shelters at agreed times.
• The Women’s Legal Service will receive $50,000 to fund legal assistance including outreach services to the Hobart Women’s Shelter and surrounding rural communities.
• The Launceston Community Legal Centre will receive $50,000 to fund legal assistance including outreach services to the Magnolia Place Women’s Shelter, and East Coast communities.
• The North-West Community Legal Centre will receive $50,000 to fund legal assistance including outreach services to West Coast rural communities and the Warrawee Women’s Shelter.
This funding is in addition to the funding recently announced by the Federal Government for the Women’s Legal Service to provide additional services for women affected by family violence in North West Tasmania.
Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin said that for the first time, Legal Assistance for Family Violence will also be provided through outreach services – to women in shelters, and through agreed community locations in regional areas.
“Access to timely legal information is critical for women fleeing family violence, and the Government’s announcement today will make it easier to access those services,” Dr Goodwin said.
“This funding is a significant addition to the range of supports we’re putting in place to help break down the barriers for women, and I thank Community Legal Centres around the State for their willingness to look at how we can best deliver support.”
The Safe Homes, Safe Families Action Plan was launched on 13th August and has been hailed as a nation-leading whole of government response to family violence.
“The Liberal Government has allocated $25.57 million in addition to the $16 million in direct funding and $24 million in indirect funding already committed to family violence each year,” Mr Hodgman said.
“The Plan details 18 actions, all of which are well underway. This includes making significant progress on the K-12 Respectful Relationships Program, working with community housing providers and Housing Connect to establish 50 homes ready to house those affected by family violence, and working with the courts regarding increased use of video-link facilities in family violence cases.”
“The Family Violence Amendment Bill has passed the Parliament, Safe at Home prosecutors will commence work in three regions of the State by December 2015, and we’ve started work on a number of further legislative amendments including updating Dangerous Criminal provisions and developing a mechanism to flag family violence-related offences on a person’s criminal record so it’s clearer when an offender has a pattern of family violence behaviours.”
“Family violence is an utterly unacceptable social ill that has no place in our communities. The Safe Homes, Safe Families: Tasmania’s Family Violence Action Plan paves the way to a Tasmania where families are safe.”
Will Hodgman, Premier Vanessa Goodwin, Attorney-General
