The Hon Tanya Plibersek
Minister for Social Services
Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy
Minister for Indigenous Australians
Today, the Albanese Labor Government is launching Australia's first standalone plan that strives for a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children can live free from violence.
Developed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and state and territory governments, Our Ways - Strong Ways - Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026- 2036 is Australia's new national plan to address the high and disproportionate rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. It sits on equal footing with the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been steadfast in their advocacy to be safe and to be heard. They have been calling for strong action, and the Albanese Government is doing just that.
We know Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women face unique and significant barriers to getting help - they are 7 times more likely to be victims of intimate partner homicide and 27 times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be hospitalised due to family violence. This increases to 41 times more likely in regional and very remote communities.
Our Ways - Strong Ways - Our Voices is backed by $218.3 million in new funding over four years. As an immediate step, the funding will invest in a national network of up to 40 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) to deliver community-led specialist support services that help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families who are experiencing family, domestic, and sexual violence.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations are leading evidence-based solutions. We are investing to support what is working and ensure that community-led solutions are driving change. The new funding will support programs like:
- Crisis responses, like mobile teams in remote areas to work with families after a violent incident, or safe transport and emergency accommodation.
- Planning to help victims leave violence safely and continued support once they have.
- Therapeutic supports, like community playgroups where mums and bubs can connect with Elders, receive parenting support, and be linked to early help and healing.
- Behaviour change and education, like outreach programs for men and boys.
The Government will also extend the Leaving Violence Program Regional Trials to 2027, continuing to provide support packages of up to $5,000 and culturally safe and accessible supports to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in regional and remote communities.
This new funding in addition to the record $262.5 million we've already invested in addressing immediate family, domestic and sexual violence safety needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Action Plan 2023-2025, and our significant investment of $367 million to more than double funding for Family Violence Prevention Legal Services as part of the National Access to Justice Partnership 2025-2030.
Our Ways - Strong Ways - Our Voices has been endorsed by all states and territories. It also:
- Delivers on Labor's 2022 election commitment to release a separate national plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to end violence against women and family violence
- Will make real progress in addressing Target 13 (family violence) of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and contribute to Target 12 (out-of-home care)
- Responds to eight recommendations in the Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children Senate Inquiry Report
- Responds to 12 recommendations in the Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches (Unlocking the Prevention Potential: accelerating action to end domestic, family and sexual violence)
