- Minister for Prevention of Family Violence
The Andrews Labor Government's landmark reforms to end family violence are laying the foundations for long-term prevention, a report by the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor has found.
The Labor Government established an Australian-first Royal Commission into Family Violence in 2014 and has since invested more than $2.7 billion to implement all 227 recommendations made.
While we make no apologies for acting quickly, we also know that we need to get things right and ensure our reform is enduring. Our reform is critical to the health and safety of families and children experiencing violence.
The independent report highlights the reforms the Labor Government has already delivered, including the rollout of five Orange Door Support hubs, which have provided support to nearly 40,000 women and children.
The Government has also rolled out Respectful Relationships education in more than 1,000 Victorian schools, opened more family violence refuges, and implemented legislative reforms to keep women and children safe.
More major reforms delivered in the last year include:
- launching the Respect Women: Call It Out campaign
- establishing the state's first ever family violence prevention agency, Respect Victoria in October 2018
- transforming our courts to keep victims of family violence safe with the opening of a specialist family violence division in the Shepparton Magistrates' Court
- launching Dhelk Dja, an Aboriginal community-led, ground-breaking agreement to address family violence.
This builds on record investments delivered in previous Budgets.
As the Implementation Monitor's report acknowledges, there is more to do. The Government thanks the Implementation Monitor for his report.
We will continue to work with key agencies and the experts, as well as people with lived experience of family violence in Victorian communities to better protect families from violence and hold perpetrators to account.
As stated by Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams
"We've moved swiftly to protect women and children from family violence because we know there are times where they can't wait for help."
"Family violence is our number one law and order emergency. That's why we're delivering all 227 recommendations of the Royal Commission to protect families and children."
"We thank the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor for his report and look forward to continuing our work to keep families and children safe."
