The ACT Government is investing in sustainable and tailored support for people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence. This investment will provide certainty to the sector while strengthening and ensuring the right supports are in place for the ACT community.
As part of the 2026-27 ACT Budget, the Government will invest $44.2 million over four years to strengthen frontline services and provide long‑term funding.
Domestic, family and sexual violence is an ongoing national crisis. This investment reflects the Government's commitment to addressing the current crisis and preventing future violence through tailored, responsive services. It is also focused on ensuring frontline services are there when the community needs them most.
This investment will support a broad range of frontline services, including crisis response, sexual violence support, programs for children and young people, and programs to engage people who use violence.
Key investments include:
- $18.5 million to provide stable, ongoing funding for core domestic, family and sexual violence response services – including the Domestic Violence Crisis Service, Canberra Rape Crisis Centre and YWCA Canberra.
- $2.9 million to boost baseline funding for critical services to help meet growing demand.
- $6.7 million for behaviour change programs, including funding for EveryMan and Room4Change.
- $4.1 million to continue programs supporting children and young people as victims in their own right.
- $2.09 million to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of sexual violence via direct funding to Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations.
- Funding to provide tailored supports for multicultural communities, LGBTIQA+ Canberrans and people experiencing financial abuse.
The cost of these initiatives will be partly offset by an increase to the Safer Families Levy from 2027-28 of $5 a year for three years.
This investment includes a $4.43 million contribution from the Commonwealth as part of the Federation Funding Agreement on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses 2021-30.
Quotes attributable to ACT Treasurer, Chris Steel:
"Investing in frontline domestic, family, and sexual violence services is essential to properly respond to the ongoing national crisis.
"This Budget is responsive to the needs of the community sector and is responsive to the needs of our community. It includes increased funding and wherever possible makes temporary positions permanent all within a transparent funding envelope.
"Providing ongoing funding certainty means these frontline services can focus on their critical work in our community."
Quotes attributable to Minister for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Dr Marisa Paterson:
"Through this Budget our Government is seeking to lay the foundations to ensure tailored, responsive and appropriate services exist to support the diverse needs of people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence in our community.
"This investment will underpin the meaningful change we aim to achieve through the ACT's forthcoming Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Strategy 2026-2036, to build a future free from violence.
"Importantly, this funding is not just about addressing today's pressures, it's about building a more wholistic, sustainable, responsive system that can continue to support people as demand grows. It reflects our commitment to working in partnership with the sector, and delivering real change for the community as part of our broader plan for Canberra."
