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From:
Tuesday June 3, 2025
Allan Labor Government fails victims of family violence
The Allan Labor Government has let down victims of family violence, including those within the Aboriginal community, by failing to complete key recommendations from the Victorian Auditor-General (VAGO) to improve The Orange Door network.
The Orange Door provides critical frontline support to victims of family violence, yet Labor's mismanagement has undermined its effectiveness especially for Aboriginal communities.
A recent VAGO report found the government had failed to complete essential governance reforms, leaving local governance group members unclear about their roles and responsibilities.
The report also identified major deficiencies in cultural safety training, with the government unable to verify whether frontline staff across the network had completed the mandatory Aboriginal cultural safety modules.
The failure to adhere to its own guidelines for mandatory cultural safety training has made it difficult for staff to deliver consistent and appropriate support of local Aboriginal communities leading to poorer outcomes.
This has come at a time the Allan Labor Government has reduced family violence delivery and primary prevention funding by $32.5 million.
Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Cindy McLeish said, "The Orange Door has become an important service within Victoria, having conducted over 176,000 client assessments in 2023-24. The hardworking staff and vulnerable Victorians who rely on this service need better.
"They deserve better organisational support, stronger governance and a government that takes prevention seriously."
"There were more than 100,000 domestic violence call outs to police last year, with 2024 being the first time that the annual number of family incidents has surpassed 100,000.
"Services like The Orange Door are clearly in high demand and critical to the wellbeing of women and children."
Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Melina Bath MP said, "The Allan Labor Government has failed to deliver the bespoke and individual care required by Aboriginal Victorians.
"It is concerning that Aboriginal women and children are over-represented in accessing The Orange Door's services, this is why it is vital staff are equipped with the tools and skills to deliver the best possible outcomes."
VAGO reported The Department, still has outstanding work, including:
- implementing its plans to deliver the full-service model including after-hours services and integration with related service systems;
- updating and developing key documents related to integrated practice, demand management and performance monitoring;
- rolling out a statewide tool for child wellbeing and risk assessments finishing its review of The Orange Door governance arrangements.
The reduction in funding for important initiatives such as this shows that Labor cannot manage money, and Victorians are paying the price.
