The NSW Women's Alliance welcomes Prime Minister Scott Morrison's announcement that the Federal Government will work with the states to continue supplementary funding to frontline family, domestic and sexual violence services. Member organisations have experienced unprecedented client demand.
"This funding means organisations providing vital services for victim/survivors of sexual, family and domestic violence will be able to continue to meet significant community need," says Domestic Violence NSW CEO, Delia Donovan.
"We welcome the Prime Minister's announcement that the Commonwealth Government will continue to support our frontline family, domestic and sexual violence services who are facing unprecedented demand," says Women's Safety CEO, Hayley Foster. "We look forward to being reassured as to the full funding amount continuing so we are not forced to cut staff from essential women's safety services at this critical time."
On 6 April, the Alliance wrote to elected officials of the NSW and Australian governments, stating that the increased demand since the initial COVID-19 outbreak for frontline services had not subsided and could not cope with increased client demand.
Despite this announcement, we note a dollar amount has not yet been committed. We call on the Federal Government to provide reassurance that the full funding amount will continue from 1 July 2021.
"The allocation of COVID-19 DFV funds was the first time ACON has ever been directly funded to deliver specialist sexual, domestic and family violence counselling and case management services to sexuality and gender diverse people," says Eloise Layard, Program Coordinator of Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence at ACON. "This funding has been transformative in our ability to provide direct specialist support. If we were to lose this funding we would not be able to continue this service in its current form, resulting in unmet community need and the loss of our specialist counsellor."
