The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Attorney-General
The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
Minister for Social Services
The Hon Ged Kearney MP
Assistant Minister for Social Services
Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence
Today, the Albanese Government has announced funding to support the expansion and extension of specialised trauma-informed sexual violence legal services pilots in the ACT and WA.
Supported by the Government's existing $19.6 million investment, the pilots will now run until at least 2027-28 and will include increased access to restorative justice pathways to give victims and survivors more options when seeking justice. In the ACT, this means greater support for those who choose a restorative justice pathway. In WA, the pilot will provide access to restorative justice pathways for young people experiencing intimate image-based sexual abuse.
Digital tools are increasingly being used to stalk, harass and abuse women and girls, and to perpetrate coercive control. Addressing this type of violence is the theme for the 16 Days of Activism this year, UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls.
The pilots will also trial a new culturally safe 'justice system navigator' service to support victims and survivors access any chosen justice pathway. In line with the ACT, the expanded WA pilot will also provide a consistent point of contact for victims and survivors throughout their journey of recovery with the Sexual Assault Legal Service.
Separately, the Government is supporting the establishment of new sexual assault legal services pilots in the NT, SA, and Tasmania, and is working to establish further pilots in Queensland, Victoria and NSW.
These critical pilot services will be delivered by the following service providers:
- ACT - Women's Legal Centre ACT and Victim Support ACT
- WA - Women's Legal Service WA, Ruah Legal Services and the Aboriginal Family Legal Services
- NT - Top End Women's Legal Service, Ruby Gaea Darwin Centre Against Sexual Violence, and the Aboriginal Resource and Development Services
- Tasmania - Women's Legal Service Tasmania and Laurel House
- SA - Legal Services Commission of South Australia (who will partner with other providers to deliver these services).
Coinciding with the 16 Days of Activism, the expansion of the pilots into every state and territory demonstrates the Albanese Government's commitment to providing national leadership in improving justice responses for victims and survivors of sexual assault.
This is a key pillar of the Government's phased response to the Australian Law Reform Commission's landmark inquiry report, Safe, Informed, Supported: Reforming Justice Responses to Sexual Violence, which saw $19.6 million of a broader $21.4 million package allocated to achieving this outcome.
Commencing operation in 2024, the pilots have already had a profound impact on the victims and survivors who have accessed these services, which includes legal assistance and representation with integrated, wrap-around services such as financial assistance, counselling, and specialist support.
The sexual violence legal services pilots draw on expertise across legal practice and support services to provide holistic responses to sexual violence and improve justice outcomes.
The pilots aim to empower victims and survivors to be guided by their own goals in their journey of recovery through the provision of expert legal advice on their justice options and support to navigate the justice system.
The Albanese Government has invested more than any Australian government ever - more than $4 billion - in family, domestic and sexual violence.
The Government has also:
- Made the Leaving Violence Program permanent, so women have the financial support they need to leave abusive relationships
- Introduced legislation to make sure our social security system can't be weaponised by perpetrators of abuse
- Funded programs that intervene earlier with men who want to change their behaviours
- Invested $1.2 billion for emergency and transitional housing to ensure women can reach safety
- Invested a record $3.9 billion in legal services - including an extra $800 million with a focus on women and children experiencing family violence
- Supported the recovery of children who have experienced violence, investing $81 million for services like child-specific counselling
- Invested $82m to deliver innovative new approaches to better identify high risk perpetrators and share information about them across systems and state boundaries.
- Legislated 10 days paid domestic violence leave, so workplaces support women to stay financially secure and connected
- Made it illegal to fire someone because of their experience of domestic or family violence
- Launched an inquiry into domestic, family and sexual violence related suicide
- Established the National Higher Education Code to prevent and respond to Gender-based Violence in universities
- Implemented all the recommendations of the Respect@Work report, including the creation of a positive duty for employers to protect staff and customers from sexual harassment and abuse
- Reformed the family law system so it is safer, fairer and more accessible
- Boosted funding for 1800RESPECT by 40%
- Taken world-leading action to address the impact of online harms - including the social media ban and restricting access to predatory technologies like nudify apps and undetectable stalking tools.
Quotes attributable to the Attorney-General, Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
"Sexual and gender-based violence is a scourge on our society, and the Albanese Government is committed to removing barriers to achieve justice and ensuring victims and survivors have the support needed to navigate the legal system.
"The expansion of the sexual violence legal services pilots to every state and territory, additional service capabilities, and the extension of the pilot program until at least 2027-28 will assist victims and survivors to hold people who use violence to account, while also ensuring they feel supported and empowered to be guided by their own goals in their journey of recovery.
"The sexual violence legal services pilot is improving access to justice for victims and survivors of sexual violence, a key objective of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.
"It complements initiatives under the Standing Council of Attorneys General Work Plan to Strengthen Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault 2022-2027 and forms part of the Government's broader commitment to end gender-based violence and achieve gender equality."
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Social Services, Hon Tanya Plibersek MP:
"One in five women has experienced sexual violence - the Albanese Labor Government is absolutely focused on reducing this, while also making sure that victims and survivors navigating the justice system can do so feeling supported and empowered.
"These pilots have already had a profound impact, and by expanding them we're strengthening access to justice for victims and survivors, improving justice responses and making sure they're getting the support they need.
"The Albanese Labor Government has invested more than any government ever - over $4 billion - in keeping women and their children safe.
"There is more work to do, but these pilots along with our record funding for frontline services, paid domestic violence leave, making the Leaving Violence Program permanent, housing and legal support for women escaping violence and programs to stop the violence at the start are making a life changing difference."
Quotes attributable to the Assistant Minister for Social Services and for the Prevention of Family Violence, Hon Ged Kearney MP:
"Sexual violence has no place in Australia, yet its prevalence remains unacceptably high, and reporting and conviction rates remain low. That's why the Albanese Labor Government has made preventing and responding to all forms of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, a national priority.
"The extension and expansion of the sexual violence legal services pilot is another important step in strengthening our support systems to meet the needs of victims and survivors of sexual violence in a trauma-informed way, where they know they will be believed, safe, and supported.
"This year's theme for 16 Days of Activism highlights the urgent need to end digital abuse against women and girls. We know that technology facilitated sexual abuse is rising, especially among young people, so our response must ensure victims and survivors have access to support that can adapt and address this evolving threat.
