The Malinauskas Labor Government today releases the report of South Australia's historic Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence and sets outs a framework for responding to the report's recommendations.
Royal Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja AO has published the 700-page document With Courage: South Australia's vision beyond violence and the accompanying Voices report.
The reports are the culmination of a 12-month Royal Commission, including extensive engagement with South Australians impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence.
The main report includes 136 recommendations reflecting the Commission's comprehensive public consultation, listening sessions, public hearings and submissions.
The 112-page Voices report includes direct quotes from hundreds of people with lived and living experiences, as well as family members and other supporters.
To ensure generational reform for South Australia, the report has been structured around key themes including:
- Structural reform focused on creating a cohesive and effective system;
- Increasing the awareness and visibility of domestic, family and sexual violence by investing in workforce, education and the justice system, as well as increasing community awareness;
- Supporting safe help-seeking and access to crisis response;
- Strengthening focus on people who use violence through programs and legislative reform;
- Building holistic supports for survivors that focus on longer-term recovery and healing; and
- Establishing a strong foundation for prevention.
The Royal Commission benefited from the experience of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence, cautioning against reactive implementation in favour of a considered and resourced implementation plan.
To ensure the broad suite of recommendations can be properly considered and addressed, the State Government has immediately accepted the following recommendations to be pursued within recommended timeframes:
- 1: The establishment of a standalone ministerial portfolio for domestic, family and sexual violence;
- 2: The establishment of a Government Steward;
- 4: The Senior Leadership Committee (of South Australian Government Chief Executives) develop an implementation plan for consideration by Cabinet;
- 9: Requiring performance agreements for Chief Executives to include achievement of the actions and impact identified in the Implementation Plan;
- 10: Develop a five year statewide domestic, family and sexual violence strategy;
- 11 & 12: Establish separate Lived Experience Advisory Networks for adults and children, with a smaller group providing advice and expertise to the Minister.
The South Australia Government established the Royal Commission after the horrific murder of four women in South Australia in one week in November 2023.
The Royal Commission adds to the considerable suite of reforms already in train by the Malinauskas Labor Government, including legislating to criminalise coercive control, establishing two new domestic violence prevention and recovery hubs, ring-fencing a proportion of public housing for women escaping violence, and legislating to require high-risk domestic violence defendants to be electronically monitored on home detention bail.
To read the Royal Commission report visit royalcommissiondfsv.sa.gov.au.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
The Royal Commission has completed a very significant and thoughtful body of work after exhaustive engagement with experts, professionals and importantly, with hundreds of South Australians with lived experience of domestic, family and sexual violence.
I want to thank the Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja AO and her staff for their considerable work, and the brave South Australians who came forward to tell their stories.
They make for harrowing reading.
But this report is also a document filled with hope. It sets out a pathway to improve the way we respond to this scourge, and to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Today the work begins to respond to the 136 recommendations in a way to deliver that change strategically, methodically, and in a way that can deliver lasting change.
As put by Katrine Hildyard
The Royal Commission presents our state with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a system that protects, empowers and heals.
It creates an opportunity for our whole community, every agency of government and the whole sector to collaboratively drive change, with the voices and experiences of brave survivors in our hearts and minds as we do so.
It encourages us to lead with purpose, patience and passion and we intend to do so. The seven recommendations we have initially accepted focus on building the framework and foundation to methodically, collaboratively and strategically drive long term change.
I am more determined than ever to do so. I am deeply moved by the courage of the survivors who came forward, by the Aboriginal people whose experiences are grounded in every aspect of the Royal Commission and will be central to our response and by the children and young people who are now finally heard.
We have listened and now we are acting.
As put by Natasha Stott Despoja AO
I'm proud of this Commission report: our aim was always to be forward facing, practical and inclusive.
I cannot thank enough those people who trusted me with their insights, stories and their time. It has been confronting and compelling, but I believe we have a blueprint for positive change.
I understand the government will need time to weigh up the recommendations.
I acknowledge the Premier for his conviction in calling for this commission. The terms of reference span prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery and healing when it comes to domestic, family and sexual violence in South Australia.
I'm hopeful that we have a once in generation opportunity to make a difference and ensure victim survivors are supported, people who use violence are held to account and that groups that previously have had little or no support will be included in a reformed system.
This report calls for leadership and courage, and it is in that spirit that I commend this report to the Premier and the people of South Australia.
