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 and the Prevention of Family Violence
Joint media release
Today, the Albanese Government has announced funding for specialised and trauma-informed sexual violence legal services pilots in NSW and Qld - representing another significant step in the national rollout of pilot services to support victims and survivors of sexual violence in their engagement with the justice system.
In NSW, this means expanding upon the existing Sexual Assault Communications Privilege Service to give victims and survivors access to more holistic legal assistance to address the myriad legal issues they often face when seeking justice.
In Qld, the pilot will support a statewide advice line to provide access to legal information and advice. The Qld pilot will have a particular focus on supporting young people who, concerningly, are being impacted by sexual violence at increasing rates.
The pilots will be delivered by Legal Aid NSW in NSW and Caxton Legal Centre in Qld, alongside partner providers in each state.
Today's announcement also builds on the pilots the Government is already funding in WA, SA, Tas, ACT and NT.
The pilots are a critical part of the Government's $21.4 million initial response to the landmark Australian Law Reform Commission's report into sexual violence which found that when victims and survivors engage with the justice system, it often causes further harm and re-traumatisation.
The pilots draw on expertise across legal practice and support services to provide holistic responses to sexual violence and improve justice outcomes for victims and survivors of sexual violence.
This investment complements initiatives under the Standing Council of Attorneys-General Work Plan to Strengthen Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault 2022-27 and is a critical component of 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 2022-32 .
Quotes attributable to the Attorney-General, Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
"The Albanese Government is committed to improving outcomes for victims and survivors of sexual violence, particularly as they engage with the justice system.
"Today's announcement coincides with International Women's Day, with this year's theme - Balancing the Scales - speaking directly to the need for accessible justice for all women and girls.
"Through the sexual violence legal services pilots, we're working to remove barries to access to justice for victims and survivors of sexual violence, helping ensure that they are informed and supported when engaging with the justice system.
"The Government looks forward to the pilots making a measurable difference and will continue to work with state and territory governments to further improve the experiences of victims and survivors of sexual assault in criminal justice systems across Australia."
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Social Services, Hon Tanya Plibersek MP:
"1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men have experienced sexual violence, many of them will tell you that navigating the justice system makes a terrible experience worse. We need to make the police and court systems more responsive and easier to navigate.
"By further expanding these pilots, we're strengthening access to the justice system for victims and making sure they get the support they need.
"There's more work to do, but the expansion of these pilots along with our record funding for frontline services, making the Leaving Violence Program permanent, thousands of new homes 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 the Prevention of Family Violence, Hon Ged Kearney MP:
"Victims and survivors of sexual violence tell us that seeking justice can often result in retraumatisation. That's simply not acceptable, victims and survivors deserve better.
"Our task as a government is to ensure that every pathway, whether it be justice, support, health or prevention, leads away from harm, and towards better outcomes for all women.
"The extension of these pilots will ensure more victims and survivors across the country have access to safe, trauma informed legal support and advice. With low sexual violence reporting and conviction rates, this sends a clear message to victims and survivors - we believe you, we see you, and we support you."
